Invision

[Mushroom_king]

[here goes nothing...]

 

"You shut your mouth when you're talking to me!" yelled a girl's voice.

"BUT BUT"

"Do as I say, fool!"

 

It would appear that Arkcher and Mushroom_king were arguing, but this was actually just their daily conversations. No worries.

Arkcher sulked off after being yelled at by Mushroom_king (MK). MK seemed proud of herself. Arkcher turned back around and yelled,

"IF THIS STORY WAS AT ALL REALISTIC, I WOULD'VE PWNED YOU!!!"

"That doesn't even make sense."

"IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE!!!"

"No, it actually doesn't."

"BUT BUT"

 

Arkcher turned back around and walked away from MK. MK, feeling satisfied, decided to visit Dawn and Vanilla Star Hamster at Planet Horatio.

 

MK walked, swiftly like she usually did, over to the small faculty, and upon entering, Dawn and Vanilla Star Hamster waved to her from a booth. They had expected her.

"MK!" they both said, and Dawn got up and glomped MK, nearly knocking her to the floor, which nearly smothered her sanity, Paper Mario Master. (PMM)

"Watch it!" said PMM. He stood for a moment before throwing his Nintendo DS to the ground. "YOU MESSED ME UP!! YOU MUST DIE!!"

The other people in the building turned around to see what had happened, and to watch the upcoming Brawl (lol) that was to unfold.

PMM was an avid video game player in the same way that MK was an avid music lover. He had the ability to take on the costumes of game characters; usually, he was Jeff, so he had Jeff's weapons as part of the costume. No one knew what PMM really looked like.

He took out a Pop Gun and aimed it at Dawn. Dawn was a school friend of MK's, and a vampire.

PMM and Dawn lunged at each other and started beating the heck out of each other, classic bar-fight style.

"I'LL BE THE ONE, TO TAKE YOU DOWN!!" yelled PMM.

"Hey, stop looking up my dress!" said Dawn.

"Hey, you two, stop it!"

The two stopped beating the snot out of each other long enough to see that the hamster, Horatio, and the Cheeseboy, Cheesemaster, were standing next to them.

"Great, now the anthropomorphic sponge is gonna preach to me!" whined PMM. He picked up his DS, which somehow didn't break, and left. MK had to go, too, since he was her sanity and all.

Cheesy picked up Dawn and stood her up. "I thought you didn't like fighting?"

"I don't...I didn't mean to..." Dawn was afraid of getting into trouble, due to some issues she had before she moved to Invision.

"Eh, it's nothing. You'd better find MK though."

Dawn said nothing. Instead, she stared at Cheesemaster for a minute, cocked her head, and then said: "I love your hair."

"I know. It's just MADE of awesome, isn't it?" he said, feeling very proud of himself. He posed, and Dawn shook her head.

"You're strange." she said, giggling like a giddy schoolgirl. "But, I'd better find MK. We had plans." She nudged Vanilla Star Hamster and started to leave.

 

 

[that's it for now.]

[Mushroom_king]

[woo part 2.]

 

After Vanilla and Cheesemaster left Planet Horatio, they looked around for MK. She wasn't in proximity of her restaurant. Cheesemaster seemed worried, but VSH seemed occupied on other, far more important things.

"Cheesy, I just loooove your katana. where did you get it? can I have one? do you ever use it? could you beat me? would you hit a girl with it?"

"I'll answer every single one of your questions later," he said, with a hint of reluctance in his voice. "For now, let's find MK."

"What, do you think she's hurt or something?" said Vanilla Star hamster.

"Well, no, it's just that Hamsterdam is an awful big city and she's not so used to it."

"I guess not a whole lot of people live on Mt. Jazzeh, huh..."

 

-----------------------------------

 

In reality, MK was alright. She and Arkcher were at their vacation home in Hamsterdam playing Brawl. When gamers pack for trips, they pack the games first and then their clothes.

All of a sudden, MK's character, Kirby, opened an Assist Trophy, and out popped Jeff, her favorite game character. She paused.

'JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

FFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1" she yelled, and then proceeded to molest the television.

"No." sighed Arkcher, "Just no."

 

 

 

 

[that part was not fictional.]

 

-----------------------------------

 

Night began to fall and Cheesemaster and Vanilla Star Hamster were still trying to find MK.

"Hey cheesemaster, if we got stuck in the mountains, would I be forced to eat you?"

"Er...I'd...prefer you didn't..."

"Say, have you tried calling MK or something...? you know, on a phone...?"

[Mushroom_king]

"Hmm..." thought Cheesemaster. "Thing is, my cell phone isn't very good. Remember?"

Vanilla Star Hamster grumbled to herself. "Come on," she said. "Don't you have any idea where else she might be?!"

"Well," he said, "There is one other place."

"Why do you need to find her, anyhow?" said Vanilla. She swooned and said, "Do you liiiiike her?"

Cheesemaster gripped his Katana (awesome). "No," he said, with a supreme sense of seriousness in his voice. "What kind of a question was that?!"

"Oh well, you have Chees-"

A moment later, Vanilla Star Hamster found Cheesemaster's Katana just inches away from her neck.

"Say that again, I dare you."

"I-I didn't say anything..."

"Smart hamster...Let's get going."

Vanilla shrugged. Apparently, Cheesemaster wasn't fond of...

"CHEESEEEEEEEEEEIEEEEE!"

Out of nowhere, a girl who looked the same age as Cheesemaster ran up and glomped him. The girl was also made of Cheese, and was wearing a ruffly, almost Victorian style of dress. It was Cheese Woman, Cheesemaster's self-proclaimed girlfriend.

"Did I hear you say my name, Cheesie?" she said, almost bursting with excitement.

"No," he said, annoyed.

"Don't lie to me, sweetie, I know you called me!!"

"Please, I'm trying to find someone...please get off of me..."

Vanilla Star Hamster simply stood off to the side, trying very hard not to burst out laughing at the scene.

Cheese Woman reluctantly got off of him and let him stand up. "Oh, fine..." she said, upset, and Cheesemaster and Vanilla left the scene.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

The duo found themselves at The Red Market, Mushroom_king's shop. They sold a lot of Plushies and furniture, it seemed.

It was pretty obvious that the store was owned by MK, as it reflected her eccentric personality; the store was staffed almost entirely by robots, plus one Invisionist...

 

"HEY!!" yelled a voice. It wasn't MK's, but was familiar.

A CatGirl with White fur jumped in out of nowhere. She had silvery faerie's wings, as well as a style equally eccentric to Mushroom_king's; she was wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and a monocle and red suspenders. Strapped to her back was an enormous sword, or rather, a Claymore...It was none other than Kat Dacatis.

"WHAT ARE YOU SUSPICIOUS TYPES DOING HERE?!" yelled Kat.

"...Looking for MK..." mustered Cheesemaster. He was tired.

"Oh," said Kat. Kat was pretty crazy, but she was also quite intelligent. She was known for her advice as well as being strange.

"Do you know where she is?" asked Vanilla. "Cheesemaster needs to find her and won't tell me why!"

"Hmmmm," thought Kat. "I saw her leave, and I remember she was heading to the Hamster Mall. Maybe you oughta check there!"

"Thanks, Kat." said Cheesemaster, and started to head off, when Kat shouted, "HEY, I WANNA COME TOO!!!!"

Cheesemaster waved at her. "Sure, you can come with us..." he said. He was a good kid, and some of the Invisionists described him as "Not having a bad side".

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, at the Hamster Mall....

 

Mushroom_king was sitting at a table in the Mall's food court, along with Arkcher, and some other characters: There was a Squirrel, who was writing something; There was a hamster in a pilot's cap; and a man who seemed to be in deep thought.

Mushroom_king glanced over at the Squirrel and asked: "What are you writing?"

The Squirrel's name was Skwerlhugger Will. he was similar to Kat in the way he was silly at times, but also very serious. The difference was that Skwerlhugger Will often talked about changing the world and politics while Kat gave smart advice.

Will looked up. "It's a letter," he said. "I'm writing a letter to the government of the planet Skizzenbuch."

"Oh," said Mushroom_king. "Isn't that where C.C. Edna is from?"

C.C. Edna was a young, homeless boy who came from Skizzenbuch, a planet where all the citizens are drawings.

"yea," said Will. "Their laws state that they can't do anything if a drawing has a problem, but the artist of that drawing made no way to fix it. Like Edna's problem-he's homeless, but his artist made no background story on how Edna got this way, or if he gets put into a Homeless shelter, nothing. So, when Edna lived on Skizzenbuch, the government said they couldn't help him, so I'm writing to them about it."

 

Mushroom_king took all the information in. "You know a lot about places you've never been..."

The man sitting across from her who had been silent started to speak up. His name was Lexxscrapham, a philosopher who lived on Mt. Lexx. He was visiting the town because he owned The Hamster Mall as well as The Village Market.

"It really is a strange law if you think about it, and no government could get away with it elsewhere," he said.

While Lexx explained things, Arkcher listened, leaving the Hamster in the Pilot's Cap, Horatio, the only one who noticed Cheesemaster, Kat, and Vanilla Star hamster Walk in.

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but," explained Horatio, "some friends of ours are here."

[Mushroom_king]

The group stopped their conversation just in time to see Kat, Cheesemaster, and Vanilla standing by their table.

"Hey, guys! What's up..." said Vanilla, cheerfully. "Kinda late, huh? My time of night!"

"I guess." said Mushroom_king. She sounded tired.

All of a sudden, Lexx and Will spoke up. "I wish I could talk with you three now, but we gotta close up this place. You guys are cool, so you can stay a little longer. But when we leave, you guys have to as well."

"A'ight!" said Mushroom_king.

Cheesemaster sat down next to MK. "Me and Vanilla have been looking all over for you...you should have told us where you were going."

Mushroom_king shrugged. "Sorry...I didn't really plan to come here, I just tagged along with the group...why were you looking for me, anyway?"

"We had plans, remember? I was gonna come by your place and you, me, and Arkcher would play Brawl or something...right? Well, there's tomorrow."

"I guess..." said MK. She was tired.

Arkcher stood behind MK and suddenly said, "Me and MK have to get home..."

Vanilla swooned again. "Awwww...you're gonna walk her home...how sweet..."

Arkcher put his hand over his face and was silent. He never liked people saying things like that to him...

"Well, she's like...my friend...plus we live together..."

"Oh yeah, I forgot!" said Vanilla, jumping around, her usual perky self.

"F-Forgot...what?..." He said.

Please, don't mention that one incident...

"You know, silly...You guys are married."

A look of shock and embarrassment flooded both Mushroom_king and Arkcher's faces, and Arkcher slowly backed away from her.

"I...I didn't even..."

"I forgot...hahahahaaha!"

Suddenly, Arkcher seemed to explode.

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID HAMSTER!!! I'M TIRED OF HEARING PEOPLE TELL ME **** LIKE THAT EVERY DAY!! I DON'T EVEN LIKE HER IN THAT WAY!!!"

 

Vanilla was shocked-no one had ever yelled at her like that, especially not a boy. She started biting her nails, and suddenly burst out crying.

Arkcher still seemed angry, but moreso upset then angry.

Vanilla tried to wipe her eyes, and started blubbering an apology. "I...I'm sorry, A-Arkcher, I didn't m-mean too..I-I-I-was k-kidding...please forgive me!" and she continued sobbing.

Arkcher sighed. "It's okay. I...I forgive you. I do appreciate you being nice to me."

"Thank youuuuuuuuu!!!" she said, her tears suddenly vanishing. She hugged Arkcher. He seemed slightly shocked...

 

Horatio merely examined the scene. He was a good friend of every Invisonist, and nearly all of them loved him. He knew them extremely well...

 

There was Arkcher, an elf, who came from Canada on earth, and the youngest son of the inventor, Aloysius Ahrroww. Despite being of similar age to the others, he had the same mechanical mindset his father did, and was often stuck fixing broken things, often making new ones. He was easily recognized by his suit and his unique hairstyle, which he was very proud of.

 

There was Mushroom_king, a young girl from the land of Dreams, and Arkcher's friend. She was easily eccentric and often said things that people took the wrong way, but a lot of people liked her. She and Arkcher had gotten stuck in an arranged marriage around three years earlier.

 

There was Cheesemaster, another good friend of Arkcher and Mushroom_king. He was bizarre in the way that he was made of cheese, but he was a good kid-although he was a bit stubborn at times. He was easily known for his sweet ninja skillz, and his bouncy, curly hair.

 

And there was Vanilla Star Hamster....a childhood friend of Mushroom_king. She was a bit perky and slightly perverted, and people either loved her or hated her. She seemed to also know a lot of magic.

 

They were just four of the many, many characters of the diverse cast of Invision, a set of characters brought together through some unknown force.

 

This is where the story begins!

 

 

"MK....you...do realize you've been listening to the same exact song for the past week, right? Right?"

 

It was about two days after they had come back home-Arkcher and MK were back home in the Mansion on Mt. Jazzeh. The two were just beginning to wake up when Mushroom_king had already started playing her Super Nintendo...

"MK, you're only further ruining that thing by just standing there and listening to the song..."

"It never ruined Kirby 64 or Super Smash Brothers, did it?" she muttered.

The song in question was Beware The Forest's Mushrooms, from Mario RPG. Mushroom_king was more of a Mother fan herself-it was Cheesemaster who liked SMRPG. And the two were constantly fighting over which was better.

 

"EarthBound is better because it has JEFF!!!" MK would say.

"But Mario RPG has GENO!!!"

"At least Nintendo acknowledges that EarthBound exists...wait, no they don't. My bad."

 

"Come on," said Arkcher, who was already sitting at the vanity brushing his beautiful yellow hair, (he hadn't even gelled it yet-a first) which reached his hips. He hadn't changed into a new set of clothes yet, so his shirt was still wrinkled from sleeping in it and his necktie was more neck then tie. (That didn't even make sense) "I'm sure Shedra is waiting for us...as is everyone else."

 

"Everyone else" referred to the Mordreds, a large (VERY large) family of magicians who worked for Arkcher and MK. Shedra, who by no means was the oldest or tallest, was considered their leader of sorts. He did most of the household work. The Mordreds, despite being much older then Arkcher and MK (most of them, anyhow) were very short people. Many of their friends found this awkward. But the Mordreds aren't even relevant in this story, so let's move on.

 

Once Arkcher had FINALLY finished his hair (he was rather vain and proud of it), he went from the bedroom to the wardrobe room, where he changed into some clean clothes, as did MK.

After that, Mushroom_king glanced into her friend's closet. (not a nice thing to do) "Huh, all your suits look the same..."

Arkcher frowned. "They do not!" he stammered. "Each one is slightly different."

"Whatever you say. To me, they all look the same."

Looking at the pair, it was difficult to fathom they were friends-Arkcher, with his sharp sense of dress, and Mushroom_king with her shirt and pants combo, with a crazy color of Suspenders and an old-fashioned hat of some kind. Today she had a newsboy hat, her favorite kind.

 

"Well, there you two finally are..." scowled Shedra, who seemed a bit angry at their tardiness. "Here! Here's your freakin' Breakfast..." He wanted to seem serious, but you could hear him giggling. Shedra was hardly ever serious.

 

A small chat started over Breakfast:

 

"What are you two gonna do today, anyhow? You just got back from the main island*, so do you just plan to stay here...?"

The person asking this was one of Shedra's sisters, Courtney. She was a sweet girl, and she slightly fancied Arkcher-and he knew it, too.

"Probably..." he said, not really paying attention to her. He honestly didn't like her that much.

Courtney sensed he didn't feel like talking to her-she usually stopped when she sensed that, but felt like talking to him more.

"Then, what do you plan to do here?"

"I don't know," he said, sounding slightly frustrated, "Probably just play video games or something, or sleep..."

"Sounds fun," said MK sarcastically.

Arkcher stretched before muttering something.

MK stopped and looked at him. She was smirking. "What did you say?"

"Wha-nothing." he said quickly.

"What did you say?"

Arkcher sighed, and repeated what he said, but slightly louder: "Gee, it sure is boring around here..."

"You go on the internet to much..." said Shedra.

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"NO YOU!!!"

"YOUR FACE!!!"

"IS THE GREATEST IN KORIDAI!!!"

"lolwut?"

"...never mind..."

 

After the Breakfast ordeal, Arkcher went to go do some studying in the Study. After all, that's why the Study exists! To study! Am I right?

The study was a nice room-there was a fireplace and a rocking chair, and a desk, and plenty of books. He felt like some alone time-after all, he had almost always been surrounded by people...the smart thing to do here would be to lock the door, but here, he doesn't for the sake of the plot.

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher fingered through the bookshelf, thinking to himself. He couldn't believe that he was looking for this one book he said he would never read.

It's gotta be here somewhere... he thought. After looking some more, he found it. He read the book's title and author aloud:

"Daily mechanisms, their many uses, and how to build them with things around your house-by Dr. Aloysius Ahrroww.

 

Aloysius Ahrroww...

 

Aloysius was a famous inventor. He was known for his many improvements on daily household things, and for finding new uses for them. He was also Arkcher's father. That part is important.

 

Arkcher sighed. His hand was trembling as he sat into the comfortable chair behind the desk, flipped open the cover, and began reading. His spine shook when he read the first sentence:

 

"I dedicate this book to my wife, Lara, and my four children; especially my newborn son, Arkcher Ahrroww..."

 

He didn't particularly want to read this; he was reading it because of an internal urge. He tried to pretend someone else wrote it, but the writing style was entirely reminiscent of how his father spoke, making it impossible to pretend someone else had written the book. His father's voice was the one reading the book to him, rather then Arkcher's voice reading the book. He found himself so lost in it that he didn't notice Mushroom_king and her sanity standing over him.

 

"Hey, what are you reading?" she said.

Arkcher looked up, and upon seeing her, freaked out a bit and shut the book as quickly as he could. It was too late, though-she had seen it.

A moment later, Paper Mario Master was on the desk, video game in one hand, and book in other. He played the game while reading the book's title. (that takes some skill)

 

"Various mechanisms...huh...yeah...yeah...by Aloysi...AHRROWW! Oh, this guy is related to you! No wonder you're reading it!"

 

"Yeah, Aloys...Aloysius...He's my...he's my dad."

"Oh. That explains things."

 

MK glanced the book over. "Huh...so, why were you reading this"

 

Arkcher folded his arms and looked at the floor. He was refusing to answer.

 

Paper Mario Master grabbed Arkcher's tie. "COUGH IT UP, OR ELSE I'LL BREAK YOUR PSYCHE-LOCKS MYSELF!!!"

 

"A-alright!" said Arkcher. "I...I read the book because...I miss my dad."

"Oh..." said Mushroom_king. "Why didn't you tell us before now?"

"Because...I felt like the odd one out here. You guys don't seem as though you miss any friends or family. I miss my dad, I miss one of my sisters, I miss my friends..."

"Are you serious?!" said Paper Mario Master. "Even if that was true, we'd still support you!!!"

Everyone glared at PMM.

 

"Er...maybe not me...but anyone else!"

 

"Do you really think we don't miss our friends and family?" said MK. "Dawn and Vanilla Star Hamser make me miss my past more, but I learn to forget it and have fun here."

 

Arkcher sighed again. "I just wish I could see my dad just one more time...he didn't even visit me at my wedding."

"Maybe he didn't approve of your mom making you get married." thought MK.

"<i>I'd</i> like to see your dad," wondered Paper Mario Master. "Your mom looked nothing like you."

 

For once, PMM was right-Lara Ahrroww, Arkcher's mother, was shorter and fatter, and had brown hair, while Arkcher was tall, thin, and had silky yellow hair, and from what arkcher said, his siblings were all the same, except his brother Derringer, who was Brunette but was taller than his sisters. He's not important to this story though.

 

MK picked up and examined the book once more. "Your dad was an inventor, right? Hmmm...seems like this book is about how he edited or fixed common household machines. Cool."

"That was his third book, I think," thought Arkcher. "He wrote it sometime after I was born."

"Ah...so the book is about 17 years old then. It's kinda old."

"He revised it once. I think we have that version, as well, somewhere."

Arkcher sighed. "If it was possible, I'd love for him to visit me...but he doesn't even like cars, let alone a spaceship."

 

Suddenly, the conversation was stopped by a sound that they didn't hear much-the ringing doorbell. The doorwoman, Inez Mordred, usually got the door, but Arkcher and MK decided this couldn't be a coincidence, and decided to answer the door themselves for once.

 

"You do it, Arkcher!" said MK.

"MK, you know how small a chance it is that it's my dad, right? It's probably just a friend."

[Mushroom_king]

Chapter Six: The song "Humoresque of a little dog" does not actually have anything to do with dogs

 

Arkcher sighed, and with trembling hands, opened the door.

It'll be a friend, it'll be a friend, it'll be...

Before he knew it, standing in front of him was....

 

...a large, white wolf with wings. Most would be afraid, but Arkcher was friends with this wolf-her name was Mega Wolf.

 

Arkcher breathed a sigh of relief. "Ah...it's just you, Mega Wolf."

"Of course..." she said, shaking off the snow before stepping inside. "Who did you think I was?"

Oh, no one, just my father who I haven't seen in 9 or 10 years or so...

 

"Well, Ammy!" said Paper Mario Master. His normal green suit had been exchanged for a green jumpsuit and a mushroom hat. He bounced over to Mega Wolf and got on her back, like a steed. Mega Wolf shook him off and he was back in his normal clothes.

Mega Wolf laughed sarcastically. "Cut that out, it's annoying."

 

Running down the stairs were two small boys, one in a red sweater, and in a blue sweater. They both had bowl cuts. It was Sean and Julian, two adopted twin boys. Mushroom_king had adopted them. They stopped in front of Mega Wolf. They both seemed a bit wary, but they had learned to befriend the wolf. They both petted her.

"Hello Mega Wolf!" said Sean, who was petting her. Julian hugged her.

 

"Hi Sean and Julian," she said.

Mushroom_king walked over to Mega Wolf. "So Mega Wolf, why are you here, anyhow?"

Mega Wolf turned away from the twins and faced MK. "You wanna move to the sitting Room? I need to sit down..."

 

After moving to the flowery Sitting Room, and fixing themselves some sammiches, Mega wolf began to explain.

"Well, for one, everyone is fine everywhere else," she said. Mega Wolf, with her wings, could fly rather swiftly anywhere else, but her home was Mt. Jazzeh.

 

"Now, moving onto the reason I came here..."

Arkcher and Mushroom_king perked their ears.

"There's...there's a spaceship-not a huge one, so it can't be a threat-is coming here. I don't know where it might land..."

 

Arkcher looked warily at MK. <i>No way that can be my dad...</i> thought Arkcher.

He doesn't like cars, let alone a spaceship...

 

"Well, I doubt it would affect you much, Arkcher-it might just be a false alarm, perhaps just a traveler. Don't worry about it."

 

Mega Wolf said goodbye to them and left the Mansion, leaving MK tired and Arkcher both paranoid and worried.

 

"Well, we might as go to bed, Arkcher." she said, and put her hand on his shoulder. "And you don't need to worry about anything..."

 

Arkcher sighed heavily as he took off his coat and tie and washed his hair of gel, the thought of the spaceship containing his father plagued his mind, and later, his dreams.

 

"Ark...cher..." said a familiar voice...

"D-dad...?"

His father was just a foot away from him, but when Arkcher reached out to hug him, but he disappeared suddenly, and suddenly, he felt weak...

a book appeared-it was the one he found in the Study, and it came down upon Arkcher, and...

 

"ARKCHER FREAKIN' AHRROWW!!!!" yelled a voice. It was Paper Mario Master, tugging at his collar.

"Dad...dad...please..." said Arkcher, still dreaming.

"WAKE THE HECK UP, WOMAN!!"

Arkcher opened his eyes all the way. Both PMM and Mushroom_king were fully dressed.

"We've been waiting for you, you lazy bum who stays up to late!!!! BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD!!!!"

Mushroom_king sighed at her sanity's rude attitude. She sat on the bed in front of him. "Were you dreaming about your father?"

 

Arkcher coughed and looked off to the side. "Yea..."

"Well, you should wake up. You need some Breakfast..."

"Mmmhmmm." said Arkcher, slowly stretching and then rising out of bed.

 

Later on, during Breakfast, the doorbell rang, as it had yesterday.

By now, Arkcher had half-way abandoned the idea of his father ever visiting him ever again.

He sighed and said, "It's probably just Mega Wolf or Horatio coming to tell me who came in that ship last night...but I'll go get the door anyhow."

 

He walked away, towards the Foyer. He reached for the doorknob, his hand sweating and trembling, and his body shaking.

 

He opened the door, and standing in the doorway was a tall, thin man with broad shoulders and long, silky yellow hair, which was styled almost exactly the same as Arkcher's.

Both of them were completely speechless. After a minute or so of not talking, Arkcher grabbed his chest, whimpered, and fell to the ground.

 

[i myself was shaking by the time I finished writing this! Maybe too much momentum...]

[Mushroom_king]

Meanwhile, up in the Dining Room, Mushroom_king was worrying about Arkcher.

"Paper mario Master..." she said. "Could you go check on Arkcher? You're done eating and it'll give you something to do."

 

"But...But...I got Giygas on the rope..."

Mushroom_king raised an eyebrow. "How are you playing MOTHER 1+2? You know Japanese?"

"Of Course I do. I wouldn't be THE Game Master if I didn't."

"I thought that was Captain N..." she murmured.

 

PMM walked down to the foyer. He dramatically gasped upon seeing Arkcher, and then he glanced at the look-alike in the doorway.

"You..." said PMM, "You killed him!! YOU'RE A CONVICTED FELON AREN'T YOU?!"

 

"Calm down, my excited, short friend..." said the strange man.

"I'M NOT SHORT!!!"

He laughed nervously, and glanced at Arkcher.

 

A moment later, Arkcher was standing up and the two were faced with each other. Paper Mario Master examined both of them.

After more silence, the look-alike grabbed Arkcher's shoulders.

"You're...You're...You're Arkcher, my son...I...haven't seen you in at least ten years!...". He glanced at Arkcher again and the two hugged each other.

"D-dad..."

 

"Sorry to interrupt your heartfelt reunion..." said Paper Mario Master, "But we were like, having Breakfast and stuff. Oh, and isn't your name Aloysius...?"

 

He nodded. "Yes...the inventor."

"Oh right," said PMM. "Well, uh, let me get the other important people, and we can get you a...wait, why the #### are you here in the first place?"

Aloysius laughed. It was a happy laugh. "To visit my son, of course. I wanted to stay a bit and explore, though, once I learned of his...er, residence."

 

A few minutes later, after PMM had gathered Mushroom_king and Shedra, they pointed Arkcher to the Guest's Room. He put his bags on the floor next to the pillowy bed and greeted MK.

 

"So...you are the girl who is married to my son?..."

MK nodded. Her eyes seemed glued to Aloysius.

"Arkcher...your dad...he's...kind of hot."

"M-M-M-MKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!"

Aloysius laughed.

"MK, THIS...IS MY FATHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!..."

"But I can't help he's so attractive."

Arkcher posed and flipped his lengthy hair. "Of course he's attractive, he's RELATED to me!!"

"Ah, you're as vain as you always were..."

Aloysius had a faraway look in his eyes, and he was smiling.

"Well, we can talk more later, my dear girl..."

MK looked a bit shocked and embarrassed. "I want to talk to Arkcher."

"I understand," said MK, a tad reluctantly. "I'll leave you alone."

 

After the other two had left, Aloysius threw himself onto his bed. Arkcher simply stood at the door, arms crossed, not saying a word.

After an awkward silence, Aloysius sighed and said, "I know it seems strange having me come over and stay with you completely unannounced..."

"You think?"

Aloysius walked over to Arkcher and hugged him. Arkcher couldn't help but grin, and he felt truly warm inside.

All of a sudden, Aloysius began to tickle him (o_O), saying "We have so much to talk about!"

"D-dad!" stammered Arkcher. He thought he was too old for that, but he still giggled.

"Ah," breathed Aloysius. "Let's go sit down and we can talk."

 

The two of them went to the Sitting Room and Arkcher described to his father of the many things that had happened to him since they had last seen each other ten years earlier-the things that Arkcher experienced at School, and of course while on Invision.

 

Aloysius thought it over. "You're living every kid's dream."

"It's not as dreamy as it sounds," he said. "It is fun..."

Aloysius ruffled Arkcher's hair, but he backed away.

"RAAAAAR! THAT'S MAH HAIR!"

Aloysius laughed at him. "Ah, you haven't changed a whole lot personality-wise..."

Aloysius looked him over. The young man sitting next to him now was a very different person then the small boy he knew ten years ago, yet he felt very much the same, and Aloysius felt it was his duty to see his son and know how he was.

Aloysius sighed again, and said a bit dreamily, "I'm so glad you're a healthy boy..."

[Mushroom_king]

[oh. and here's a chapter i seem to have forgotten to post...]

 

Arkcher, who had still not gotten over the shock of his father suddenly coming all the way from a different part of the universe just to visit him, tried to convince himself he was dreaming. Unfortunately, it was nigh impossible.

 

Later that same day, Mushroom_king was...well, she was basically flirting with Aloysius, but Aloysius was the kind of man who never got angry at people, and he was always nice and forgiving to people, so he didn't really care that she was flirting with him. This trait passed on to only one of his children, and unfortunately, it wasn't Arkcher.

 

Mushroom_king was examining Aloysius later on, at dinner. "Ha...Arkcher, you really are his spitting image..."

Arkcher looked, and sounded, tired. He'd had a long day. But what she said was true. The biggest difference was their way of dress, their attitude, and...hair length...

 

Paper Mario Master looked at Aloysius. Everyone in the Mansion seemed excited and curious to see this strange new person. "I...really, really do not want to imagine having to wash that much hair..." he said, with a look of disgust on his face. "When was the last time you got a haircut, Aloysius-san?"

Aloysius thought for a while. Eventually, PMM gave up and mustered, "Ok, I see, I already know the answer. The last time you cut your hair was never ago. I can see it in your eyes. They're, uh, really expressive..."

Arkcher suddenly perked up and said, "Hey, dad, do you think...maybe..starting tomorrow...you wanna visit everyone else here?"

Aloysius clapped and exclaimed, "Ah, that'd be wonderful..."

"Alright! Tomorrow, we'll go to Hamsterdam and meet everyone there, and then decide where we want to go next."

 

Aloysius seemed a bit clueless. MK sighed. "Arkcher, thanks for explaining the topography of Invision to your own dad..."

Arkcher shrugged.

"Hamsterdam is the biggest city," she explained. "There's more, but we'll learn later. Kay-o?"

Aloysius laughed. "Kay-O? haha...alright, Mrs. saturn!"

Mushroom_king gasped. "You...you like...EarthBound..."

Arkcher changed the subject just in time to keep MK from having a seizure.

"D-dad," said Arkcher, a bit flustered, "Actually, do you wanna stay here another day or two to...um...get settled in...?"

"That'd be wonderful as well...but I'd love to see your friends first."

"But dad-"

"I'm not so tired from traveling..."

"r-really?"

"Yes. I'll get myself ready tomorrow and we can meet all your friends!"

Aloysius seemed very happy to do so. It was as though Aloysius didn't seem to care he had just traveled across the Universe just to visit one person..

 

------------------------------------------

 

The next morning, Arkcher decided they would leave sometime before Lunchtime, so they could get to Hamsterdam in time to eat at Planet Horatio.

At Breakfast, Aloysius had the joy of meeting Sean and Julian.

 

"Who are you?!" asked Sean.

Aloysius bent down to talk to them. He smiled at both of them.

"I'm Aloysius, and I am Arkcher's dad."

"Ohhhhh," said Julian, as if knowingly.

"That means..." said Sean,

"That if your my daddy's daddy..."

"GRANDPA!!!"

Aloysius frowned for the first time as the two boys hugged him. "I'm not that old..."

Aloysius sighed happily and hugged them. "So, who are you two?"

"I'm Sean!" said the boy in the Blue sweater.

"And I am Julian!" said the one in the Red sweater.

"And you are twin brothers?" asked Aloysius.

"Yea!!!" they said excitedly.

Aloysius turned to Arkcher. "You have children...?"

Arkcher gasped and responded quickly, "A-adopted! MK adopted them..."

Aloysius laughed. He ruffled the two boy's hair.

MK stepped over and got on her knees, next to Aloysius.

"Their full names are Sean Lennon Ahrroww and Julian Lennon Ahrroww!"

Aloysius laughed. MK wondered if he got the meaning of the names. He might of...

 

Later, they decided to leave. The ones going were MK, Arkcher, Their Sanities, Aloysius, Sean, Julian, and Shedra. Shedra considered himself the caretaker of Mushroom_king and Arkcher.

As they waited for a plane, (I couldn't think of anything...) Arkcher explained to Aloysius about the Mountain.

"This is Mt. Jazzeh. We live here. There's also a tribe of Eskimoes, and some of our friends live here. You can meet them anytime, though."

Aloysius seemed to easily take the information in. He was an intelligent man, after all.

 

After arriving in Hamsterdam, they had arrived in time for lunch, so they went to Planet Horatio.

"This is my restaurant!" said Mushroom_king, and she went inside, and over to the bar. Glowurm was working that day, and Kat was about to get her favorite drink, the Jig. Kat's favorite dance move was the Jig, so MK named a drink after it.

 

Several people glared at Aloysius, but no one payed any mind. Aloysius and Arkcher sat at the bar, and Glowurm looked at them.

Glowurm was a Glowing Worm from a planet where everything glowed in the dark. He was a pirate, and several of his worm legs (or...arms...) were replaced with hooks and peg legs. He also had an eye patch.

"Hello, glowing pirate!" exclaimed Aloysius.

Glow's eyes became big. "Who the heck are you?!"

Aloysius laughed, but Arkcher spoke.

"This is my dad..."

"HOLY ICELAND!!!" shouted Glow.

(That's my phrase...<.<)

The entire establishment went silent with some whispers here and there.

Arkcher looked steamed. "Ugh..."

"I'm sorry, dude." said Glowurm.

 

A second later, Aloysius was surrounded by the other Invisionists who were there for lunch, and they all were examining him.

There was Kat, but as well as her there was also SleepoverFanatic, Lexx (who seemed to still be visiting Hamsterdam) and Krisluvsdogs, who was visiting from Adstar. There were some more, but they aren't as important to the story.

 

Aloysius felt slightly awkward being examined in such closed quarters by two young women and an adult male, but he suck with it. He decided to examine them. He examined things a lot, huh?

SleepoverFanatic...she was a young woman who was wearing Watermelon Pajamas, and the other girl, KrisLuvsDogs, was a dog-girl with a green dress and a large bow in her hair. She was pretty, but seemed quieter then the others. He also examined Lexx, but you already know about him.

 

Kat walked up to Aloysius and looked him up and down with her large cat eyes. Aloysius was taken aback by her appearance, but decided not to question why she was wearing an ascot and a gold suit of armor and had a claymore and...

Suddenly, she exploded.

"YOUR SUSPENDERS AREN'T RAINBOW!! YOU AUTOMATICALLY FAIL!!!"

Aloysius ruffled his own hair and giggled nervously. He still had a feeling that most of Arkcher's friends weren't very deadly, even this girl, though that would change a bit later.

Kat smiled at him, though. She drank her Jig and started Jigging all of a sudden.

"Er..."

"Dad, don't ask."

"but-"

"DAD."

"Fine."

 

SleepoverFanatic sat down and started to talk to him. "So..um..you're really Arkcher's dad?"

Aloysius nodded.

"And the famous inventor?"

Aloysius nodded.

KrisLuvsDogs (Kris for short) walked over. Her hands were behind her back, and she seemed very shy. She started to speak-her voice was quiet and had a slight hint of a Country accent to her voice, but it made her seem sweet, not like a Southerner.

She held her hand to her face and said, "You seem like a nice person. And you're slightly.."

"SEXY?!" said MK.

Kat burst out laughing, Arkcher and Aloysius blushed, and Kris giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Well, dad, do you want to eat something?"

Aloysius quickly nodded. "I do!"

Arkcher laughed. "Oh Boy! I'm so Hungry, I could eat an Octorock!!"

 

Arkcher, MK, and the other Invisionists were used to Planet Horatio, so they already knew what they were getting, but Aloysius looked over the various foodstuffs available.

"They have...interesting names..."

Kat, who was also a waitress and bartender, asked Aloysius if he wanted a drink.

"Er...you have any kind of Tea?"

"Coming up!" said Kat. A few minutes later, Aloysius had a green tea. It matched the minor British accent he had.

 

Later, after Lunch, the group said bye to Kat, Glow, Kris, and SleepoverFanatic and decided to explore some more.

[Mushroom_king]

[not sure if this is appropriate or not.]

 

Aloysius started with being introduced to the two anthropomorphic girls.

Arkcher pointed to Kat, who was wearing a gold suit of armor, a monocle, and an ascot. Those are awesome.

"Dad, this is Kat Dacatis, but we just call her Kat."

"I like soup."

"Pleased to meet you," he said. "Um...why are you wearing a suit of armor and a monocle...? Were you at a convention?"

 

"No..."

 

"Well, were you playing a game?"

 

"No..."

 

"Middle Ages re-enactment?"

 

"NO..."

 

"Um...Role-Playing Game?" he asked. He sounded a bit happier.

 

"Um, that's part of the reason, but I kinda just wore it because I felt like it."

 

"Oh. Um...then why the dressy accessories...?"

 

"BECAUSE ASCOTS AND MONOCLES ARE WONDERFUL!"

 

"Um...I...see..."

 

Kat drank another Jig.

 

She banged her head on the table and shouted, "MY FAVORITE COLOR IS RED!!!!"

 

"That...is just wonderful..."

 

Kris was still smiling throughout the whole thing. Aloysius was the only one who was shocked (and quite frankly slightly amused) at Kat.

"Hi, I'm KrislovesDogs but people call me Kris! I'm Kat's friend."

Kris was wearing a Green Sweater and Dress, both were a dark Kelly Green, and she had a big, pale ribbon in her even paler hair. She was carrying a tiny notebook which had a pen inside of it.

"What's in the book?" he asked.

"Stories," she said, "and poems."

"All the Poets live on Adstar," said MK, butting in. "That's a group of man-made star shaped islands off to the west. It's kinda awesome. Kris is here to publish some of her stories."

Aloysius was silent, absorbing all the information he was getting. He glanced at Kat, who was drunk, apparently.

 

"Um, how old is this girl?"

"She's about 16 or 17. I forgot." said Kris.

"Um...don't you have to be 21 to drink?"

"Well yeah, I think so."

"Well, um...why does the sign say 'Drinking Age 12'?"

MK jumped up. "Uummmmmmm, Someone switched the numbers! Yeah, that's it, heh..."

"ELECTRIC ROCKS TASTE LIKE GOLD!!!" said Kat, putting an arm around Aloysius.

"Um..."

"AH'M SORRY MAHN! YOUR MAH BESHT FRIEND..."

Arkcher and Mushroom_king grabbed Kat by the collar (do suits of armor have those?) and decided to take her home, leaving Aloysius alone with Kris. And Aloysius could NOT resist any pretty women.

"So...uh," he said slightly flirtatiously, "Could I see some of your poems...?"

Kris looked slightly surprised. "W-well...I haven't published these yet. It wouldn't be fair if you read them first, Aloysius."

"I see," he said, sighing. "Where can I read your published stories?"

"You can...you can find them here in Hamsterdam. There's a Stories Forum. You can read people's writing there. There is also a Music forum and Art forum.

Aloysius smiled at the prospect of both. "I love the fine arts. And everything is made by residents of the planet?"

"yes," said Kris.

The two were silent for a bit.

"Aloysius! You're too close!!!"

"I'm sorry," he said (and he sounded like he meant it-not common with grown people flirting with the youngins)

 

"Dad!" said a voice-Arkcher's of course.

Aloysius turned. "Yes?"

"Where do you wanna go next?"

"Well, I wanted to see some of the stories and Art and Songs that you and your friends have made!"

Arkcher was silent and said, "Well, that sounds good. Let's go!"

Kris decided to tag along, since she had to publish her stories anyway. (what happened to Kat?!)

 

Once the group got to the Story Forum, Aloysius read through some of Kris's poems and stories and complimented them.

He read some of the other's poems. "Who is Topazia? Who is My Own Mind?"

"Dad, it's XMyOwnMindX, not My Own Mind."

Aloysius looked confused, but went along with it anyway.

"They're two other poets. You can meet them later."

"I'd love to!" he said. "But not now. I have other stories to read."

 

Aloysius started reading a novel that was by an unknown author called Invision.

"I can't help but think I've experienced everything in this book!"

"Me too!" said Arkcher.

Kris and MK agreed.

"Weird, huh?" said Arkcher.

"IT SURE IS!!!" said The Author.

 

After reading as many stories as he could (Including the infamous Three Word Stories!), he walked over to the Music forum.

"People mostly talk about music instead of making any," said Arkcher. "Mushroom_king has made some songs, and there's a few here and there by other people." That part was boring so I won't go into detail on that.

 

Finally, the group stopped by the Art forum, where people posted drawings. Most of the pictures were old, but there was one gallery Aloysius liked. This gallery belonged to someone named Cheetaspot.

"I don't know the artist but she is just great!" Said Aloysius. "I'd buy one of these paintings, but I didn't bring any money with me."

"It's ok!" said Arkcher. "We can come back and you can buy one..."

Aloysius continued to stare at the pictures. "Where does this person live?"

"In the Mushroom Jungle, which is nearby here."

"I must meet her! I must tell her how talented she is. But, I want to see the rest of this town as well..."

"I say town first," said MK. "There's a lot of cool stuff."

Paper Mario Master drooled. "Like...Hamster Chic...

Arkcher looked disgusted. "Ewwww! You Furry!!"

"I'M NOT A FURRY!" cried PMM.

Arkcher went into Facepalm mode and shook his head. "Denial..."

"What are you talking about, kids?" asked Aloysius.

"My Sanity is a Furry!"

"I AM NOT!"

Aloysius looked confused. "I know what a Furry is," (GASP! an adult with a sensible job knew what they were talking about!) "But how is he one?"

"We'll even show you!!!" said MK, frustrated.

 

Everyone left the Art Forum and headed off towards a section of the city that was obviously busy because of the light. They walked until they were in front of a large, sleek building, with sliding glass doors and a big, pink, light-up sign that said "Hamster Chic" in cursive.

"Hamster...Chic? Fashion for Hamsters?"

"Not just hamsters, but for everyone on Invision," said PMM.

"Are we allowed inside?"

"Of course, just say we're friends of the models."

MK and Aloysius walked in, but Kris and Arkcher stayed out.

Kris looked horrified and Arkcher was in a firm pose, not moving.

"W-what's with you?"

"I-I'm not exposing myself to this kind of stuff!"

PMM groaned. "You make it sound like they're Playboy or something..."

"They're close enough, have you seen Miss B-?"

"Shut up, We're both going in."

Arkcher glanced off in a different direction as MK and Aloysius walked inside.

Arkcher looked at Kris, who smiled at him. The two weren't that close of friends, but Kris was nice, so Arkcher decided to take her along, somewhere, he didn't know where, really. Arkcher tried to not think of what his father was getting himself into.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, in the Hamster Chic building, MK was going to introduce Aloysius to some of Hamster Chic's employees, starting with the Models.

 

"There's a lot of models, but these two are most famous," she explained. "The first one is Miss Kitty Girl and the other is Miss Bunny. Miss Kitty Girl is from Texas, and Miss Bunny is from Japan, and they're best friends."

"I'm amusing they, like the two girls I saw at Planet Horatio today, are also Anthros?"

"....sure, why not. Do you want to meet them?"

 

Aloysius thought before answering.

 

[lol]

 

[actually, the only one who really counts as Anthropomorphic is Kat, since Kris, Miss Bunny, and Miss Kitty Girl are mostly human with animal ears/tails, while Kat is basically a Cat on two legs. so confusing. maybe I should change it...]

 

[and yea Dog Lover, you'll debut somewhere.]

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysius nodded. "It's my duty to meet all your friends."

Mushroom_king shrugged. She wasn't really FRIENDS with either model, just on friendly terms. "Well, which one first?"

"I guess I'll meet the Cat one first...Miss Kitty Girl?"

"Yeah, that's her name."

 

MK knocked on Miss Kitty Girl's door. Opening the door was a tall, brown-skinned girl with enormous brown cat ears and a cat's tail. She was wearing a hot pink tank top, a pair of tight jeans, and a cowboy hat, and she had shiny, curly hair that went to her chin and large, captivating eyes. She was quite pretty, but Aloysius didn't seem to care for her.

"Who is it?" called a distant voice.

"It's MK! And some other guy..."

MK giggled. "Is Miss Bunny in your room tonight?"

"She sure is!" said Miss Kitty Girl. She had a slight Texan accent. "Come on in."

She grabbed Aloysius by the arm and dragged him in. He seemed interested but you could tell he was a bit shocked.

"Sooo....who are you?" she asked Aloysius.

"I'm Aloysius Ahrroww. I'm Arkcher's father, and an inventor."

"Ohhhh!!! I know youuuu!" she said. She stood up, her hands on her hips, and then leaned and told him, "I know who you are!! I've seen you before!"

Aloysius smiled. "Yes, I guess you have."

Miss Kitty Girl plopped down on a pink pillow, while MK and Aloysius sat down on pillows of either purple or white. She sighed, and Aloysius looked around the room. It was a bright, almost blinding shade of Pink, with spotlights and mirrors everywhere, and makeup and clothes on tables. Of course, this was to be expected from a model, but the room seemed a bit messy. The TV was blaring, and the Cat girl kept switching between music videos, fashion channels, and Idol shows. The radio, too, was on, blaring so much pop music both Aloysius and Mushroom_king could barely stand it.

The only things breaking the Pink color was the occasional Texan thing-and Aloysius suddenly wondered why Texans were so obsessed with Texas-shaped things.

After some silence, Aloysius asked, "Who was the woman's voice I heard earlier?"

"That? That was Miss Bunny. She's also a model. And my best friend!"

"I see...what is she doing?"

"I don't know!" said Miss Kitty Girl, getting a bit flustered and sounding impatient. "Probably bathin' or makin' tea-"

"Making...tea?"

"Yeah! I don't know how she likes the stuff!"

"I....I like tea."

"Oh! Really?! Well she'll probably share some with you!!"

"Are you talking about me?" Came a soft, shy voice.

Aloysius turned to where it was coming from, and before him was a tall, curvy young Asian woman with Rabbit's ears, one of which had a flowery ribbon tied on it. She was wearing what appeared to be some kind of lingerie, a kind of corset, or bootyshorts, with laces in the front and embellished with flowers. Aside from her revealing number, she had an untied Kimono serving as a robe that was blue and gold. And, she had curly, purple hair and a lovely face.

"I-I..." stuttered Aloysius, who seemed more surprised at her choice of clothing then he did at her beauty. He said nothing, simply swallowing his words and smiling at her.

Miss Bunny took off her robe and picked up a tray of enough tea for three people-apparently, she knew Miss Kitty Girl didn't like tea, and knew there were two guests."

Miss Bunny set the tray down on the floor and sat on a green cushion across from Aloysius, next to Miss Kitty Girl.

"H-Hi! said Aloysius, smiling. Miss Bunny smiled back at him. "Hi," she said.

Aloysius and MK helped themselves to Miss Bunny's tea, while she told them various stories about her and her modeling partner. It seemed strange since they were both opposite personalities, but that was the way most things were, it seemed. Paper Mario Master wasn't playing video games the entire trip-rather, he was staring at the two models.

 

------------------------------------------

 

After Mushroom_king and Arkcher left Hamster Chic, they needed to seek out Kris and Arkcher. It was getting late, and nighttime in a big city is never safe, even here. Sanity stealers from Outside The Wall could be anywhere!

 

As the two walked, PMM wouldn't shut up.

"You know, this isn't such a good idea, walkin' around the city this late. We might as well go to the whatever we were staying at, I'll bet Kris and Arkcher are there. I kind of don't want to get sanitynapped, if you know what I mean, unless the sanitynapper was a hot babe or somethin'...HOLY-!!!"

Two bright lights suddenly shined into their faces-in front of them was a purple Cadillac, and in it was a monkey with a beret and striped shirt, and in it's hand was a sock.

"Isn't this kind of thing normal for you, though?"

"USUALLY!!! I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT CAR, THAT MONKEY, OR THAT SOCK IN MY WHOLE LIFE!!!" screamed Paper Mario Master.

"That could be call for concern..." muttered Aloysius, who seemed to be keeping his cool.

All of a sudden, The Monkey got out of the car and walked toward them. It looked innocent enough, but what if it was...

"YOU'RE A SANITY-STEALER, AREN'T YOU?!" yelped MK.

"A...what?" said The Monkey. It sounded like a female.

"You don't know what a Sanity is?!" said PMM. He huffed. "TYPICAL! YOU'RE JUST PRETENDING! I AM A SANITY AND YOU ARE GOING TO KIDNAP MEEEEE!"

"No, I'm not! And from what I knew about sanities, you're not what I imagined one to be..."

PMM calmed down a bit. "I'm...not?"

"No!" said the monkey.

PMM and MK whispered to each other.

"Hey, I think we need to take you to Horatio..."

"Who?!" said the Monkey.

"We can use your car!" said PMM happily.

The Monkey looked a bit frightened, but obliged.

[Mushroom_king]

[i have three chapters I haven't posted yet]

 

Mushroom_king and Aloysius decided to take the car that the monkey was driving, since it'd make the trip quicker.

"Don't sit on that sock!" said the monkey.

"Why? It's just a sock."

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice came out of nowhere.

"...you're real mean, pal."

"IS-IS IT-?"

"Yes, I'm talkin' to you! I ain't JUST a sock! I'm SOCKY-SOCK! Get it right!"

Aloysius looked like he would faint any minute. This was probably too much for him.

"Sockysock, huh?" said MK. "That's cool."

"and I'm TheBreakfastMonkey! I'll eat your soul!"

Aloysius gasped. MK heaved. "Only I can eat souls around here!"

"And, the car's name is Cadillac."

"Oh, so it's alive too?!" asked Aloysius, slightly surprised.

"Uh...you're surprised, I guess...well, yeah. And it's name is Cadillac, because it's a Cadillac."

 

Later on, the group went to the Town Hall, which was where Horatio the Hamster was. He was cleaning his plane and was about to turn in for the night, but he wasn't exactly able to, because a knock came from the door.

"Horatio! Horrrr-aaaayyy-shheeee-ooooooh!"

"Well, blast, who could that be...ah, it's Arkcher."

"Hey, Horatio. I need to use something real quick."

"Well, what is it?" said Horatio, grinning. He almost never got mad. Almost.

"I need to search for my dad and MK, and see where they are!"

"Ok, then! I'm going to sleep soon, so be quiet! Nighty-night!"

"'Night."

Just then, yet another knock came on the door. In walked MK and Aloysius, along with TheBreakfastMonkey and Socky Sock.

"MK!! Dad!!" said Arkcher, abandoning the search function and running over to them. Horatio turned around and walked over.

After giving them both hugs, he and Horatio examined TheBreakfastMonkey and Socky Sock. "Who are these two?

"We're not sure, but their names are TheBreakfastMonkey and Socky Sock. There's also a living car named Cadillac out there.

Horatio perked up his ears. "This seems important. Could you bring in Cadillac?"

 

After doing so, Horatio began to question the trio, all while typing away information into his Laptop.

"TheBreakfastMonkey...species, Monkey...Planet of Origin, Civolv, gender, female...Socky Sock, species, Sock...planet of Origin, LR, gender, male...Cadillac, species, Car, planet of Origin, Earth, gender unknown. Alright, I've got that typed in. You have no idea where you are, and have no sanities, correct?"

"Correct," said TheBreakfastMonkey, who was nervously tugging at her beret. She seemed scared.

"Well...do you know how you got here?"

She suddenly looked a lot less nervous, and she smiled. "We crashed here in a rocket," she said.

Arkcher suddenly spoke. "A...rocket?"

"Yeah," said Socky Sock. "A Rocket. We crashed here about a day or two ago."

"That's...the same day you landed!" Arkcher said, looking at his father. "That wasn't you in the rocket!!"

"A-Arkcher..."

"How did you get here?!"

"Listen, son, I'll explain everything later, though I'm afraid I don't have much to say."

"What do you mean?!"

"Calm down, Arkcher." said Horatio. "We all need to be calm. These three...well..."

Socky Sock spoke up. "We don't really plan on leaving anytime soon."

Horatio gasped. "That....well...I'm afraid..."

"We can't stay?!" said TheBreakfastMonkey, who sounded as though she would cry.

"No, no, nothing like that! You can stay, it's just...you'll need sanities, and I don't have the power to issue those out. Only Stewart does, and-and-"

"What about him?"

"He's gone. He isn't coming back."

Arkcher and MK exchanged surprised glances, as neither of them had heard Horatio say anything like that before. He was forever the optimist, you know.

Horatio thought for a moment. "I'll see what I can do...All of you, you can leave now."

Arkcher nodded, and decided to give the new trio a place to stay.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

"Dad, you have some things to explain to me."

Arkcher and Aloysius were talking after the other four had gone to sleep.

"Arkcher...I...I want to tell you, but I don't think you will believe me."

"Tell me."

"Well...I...I have no idea how I got here."

"WHAT?!" yelled Arkcher, furious.

"A-Arkcher!! Don't yell like that."

"DAD!! HOW CAN YOU TELL ME YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU GOT HERE?!"

"I just told you! What kind of a question is that?!"

"You...but..."

"Arkcher. Son...I...I...I honestly don't know. Please believe me..."

Arkcher thought for only a few seconds, but he thought very hard. "I believe you..."

"Thank...Thank you." said Aloysius, who was very grateful.

Arkcher stretched and then got up. "I'm tired. Let's go to sleep."

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Arkcher woke up the next morning earlier then the others, so he decided to take a walk around Hamsterdam.

 

It was a lovely morning-the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft, warm glow all over the enormous city, which was oddly quiet, even for a morning. Hardly anyone was outside except fro Arkcher, so he got to enjoy time alone-which he frequently was alone. A soft breeze swept away his hair, and he stopped, simply taking a breath, the last fresh breath of air in the big city before the noise and lights would start.

 

Being alone is frequently a very good time to think, especially if you are in a quiet environment. Arkcher took advantage of this as he walked through Hamsterdam, which was slowly but surely waking up. However, the noisy, obnoxious people were not yet out-rather, the people who were kind and quiet were out and about, simply nodding as they passed Arkcher on their way to wherever. Back to the subject of thinking, Arkcher began to analyze the various things that had happened to him-his father had returned, and he had thought his father came in a rocket, but it turned out his father had no idea how he got here, rather, the rocket contained three odd characters whom seemed as though they would easily fit with the rest of Invision.

Arkcher eventually stumbled upon the local park in Hamsterdam, where he was quite surprised to see both Aloysius and Mushroom_king, and both of them seemed to be doing some kind of odd, yoga-ish routine.

Arkcher remembered Aloysius doing that every morning when he was young...seeing MK with Aloysius was what surprised him, and he assumed she was possibly flirting with him. Upon closer examination, however, he saw that she was being completely silent-a first.

 

After about half an hour of watching the two, he saw them both sit down on a park bench. MK acted tired; Aloysius seemed normal. Arkcher decided to go talk to them.

 

"MK! Dad! What are you two doing here?"

Aloysius looked at Arkcher and smiled. "You do remember that I always got up to do my meditations in the morning! And your friend decided to join me today."

Arkcher responded, "Huh...I got up and went for a walk a while ago, before you two got up."

"Yea, we saw...say, you guys wanna go to Planet Horatio for some breakfast and see Kat and the others?"

Aloysius, who may or may not have been too thrilled about the prospect of seeing Kat again, agreed.

On the way there, Arkcher wondered where TheBreakfastMonkey was.

"She was still sleeping," said MK, "when me and Aloysius left."

 

------------------------------------------

 

Upon reaching Planet Horatio, the trio found...chaos.

Kat and Glowurm were jumping around, yelling phrases that they couldn't make out, due to the crowd of people who were there talking and shouting. MK, using her powers that she had due to being the owner, went up to Kat and Glowurm to see what was the problem.

Kat (who was decked out in a red polo, black pants, and monocle, as well as the fact that she was wearing a Viking hat that had a Cavalier hat perfectly balanced on one horn), who seemed a bit more collected then Glowurm, explained the situation since Glow was too upset.

"Someone stole our pancake mix! And the Waffles! And Syrup! And Toast!"

"NOT THE TOAST!!!!" yelled Arkcher.

Glowurm, who was angry, shouted, "THEY STOLE MAH WAFFLES!!"

"Calm the frick down, we'll find it! Besides, there's really only one person on Invision who could have stolen so many things so well....and she doesn't live here..." said MK.

"Who are you talking about?" said Aloysius, frustrated. He hated crime and illegal things, and this made him mad...but he had little time to complain, because a woman in sunglasses, a beige Outback hat, trench coat, and pants grabbed all three of them.

"NO!!! NOT INTO THE PIT!!! IT BUUUUURRRRNS!" yelled Arkcher.

"Shut up!" said the strange woman. "You're not being arrested, we want to show you something."

 

Later on, the woman had dragged them back to the hotel where they were staying, and in the room was-the stolen things!

"W-What!!!" stammered Aloysius, angered. "Who put those here?! We didn't steal them!!!"

"We know you didn't," said the woman. She had an air of seriousness, and her voice matched. She pointed to a corner and shouted, "SHE did!!"

Looking in the direction they were pointing was...TheBreakfastMonkey!

"TheBreakfastMonkey!!!" said Aloysius, clearly upset. It was the first time MK had seen him like this. "Y-You stole these?! Why?!"

The Tiny Monkey was afraid of Aloysius and was sweating up an ocean. "I-I wanted some breakfast...I AM the BREAKFAST monkey, after all!!!"

Aloysius closed his eyes and thought for a moment, and then he sighed.

"I'll forgive you...for now. Just don't steal anymore, ok? And be sure to return those things to-"

"I'll be taking care of that," said the woman, who had picked up the lot and was now about to lug it back to Planet Horatio. She turned around and Looked at Aloysius. "My name is The Spy, just so you know. I do more detective work then I do spy work."

Aloysius smiled at her, and he grabbed some of the things she was holding. "I'll help you carry these back," he decided.

The Spy glared at him a bit. Her angry aura seemed to vanish for a few seconds-she had just met him, she didn't even know his name, and he was helping her? Just who WAS this strange gentleman who she had never seen before?

After The Spy and Aloysius left, Paper Mario Master smirked at Arkcher. "I think your dad's fallen for yet another woman!"

Arkcher scowled at her. "N-No! He's just being nice!"

 

------------------------------------------------------

 

Upon reaching Planet Horatio, Aloysius noticed that The Spy, who had also been carrying the stolen breakfast foods, was very tired. She didn't seem to like lifting heavy objects very much.

Aloysius, unable to simply leave a tired woman, asked her, "Excuse me, ma'am, but do you want me to buy you some breakfast? You seem awfully tired."

The Spy looked up over the lenses of her sunglasses. Who was this man, and who did he think he was? he barely knew her, and he was asking to buy her some food...well, it was free food, and she WAS tired, so she agreed.

 

After buying the two of them some tea and waffles (I could go for some right now...), Aloysius decided to strike up a conversation with her.

"So...they call you The Spy, but you don't really do much spy work?"

"I do some, but only for detective work...I guess I'm named that because I'm slightly anonymous."

"I have a similar situation. I'm known as the inventor Aloysius Ahrroww, but I consider myself more of an expert in medicine then I do an expert with mechanics, though I am splendid with machines as well."

The Spy looked at the floor for a moment, then looked at him again and smiled. "I'm pretty good at both spying on people and solving mysteries."

Aloysius giggled nervously, thinking of how Arkcher and MK might be waiting for him.

His smile faded as he thought more, and then he suddenly got up and started to leave.

"I'm sorry, but...my son is waiting for me. I'd love to stay and chat some more, so we could meet some other time, perhaps?"

The Spy frowned. "I guess," she said, with a tone of disappointment in her voice. "See you."

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

"What's taking that freak so long?!" said Paper Mario Master, who was about near flying off the handle. MK and Arkcher glanced at each other, then at the door as Aloysius suddenly walked in.

"Sorry to keep you two waiting!" he said. He didn't seem flustered at all, which was odd.

In a split second, PMM had grabbed Aloysius's shirt collar and was screaming at him about what took him so long, why he took so long, etc. etc. etc...

Aloysius grabbed PMM and set him on the ground.

MK quickly changed the subject. "Don't we need to take those three back to Horatio so they can be given sanities?" she asked.

"Er...well, no..." said Arkcher, "But I guess we should. I mean, they aren't going anywhere anytime soon."

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

After taking Cadillac, SockySock, and TheBreakfastMonkey (who was let off with a warning) back to Horatio, it seemed that...

"AHHH! i completely forgot about the sanities and...and.."

"H-H-H-HORATIOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed PMM, who was being impatient. "THIS IS IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED NOW!!!"

Horatio looked up and smiled. "I have an idea, though!" he said, and he reached into a box. He pulled out what appeared to be a jellyfish...it was a sanity. All sanities look like Jellyfish, until they go into their true forms, where they become animals, humans, or anything else.

"I found this last night," he explained. "Her name is Shebacrisp. It's one of the sanities Stewart left behind in case of emergencies-such as this one."

"Are there more?" asked Aloysius.

Horatio went and grabbed a small cardboard box. "Yes," he said, "Enough for the three of them. But I have an idea. Hand me SockySock."

TheBreakfastMonkey, a bit reluctantly, handed over SockySock to Horatio. Horatio took one of the sanities from the box and shoved it into SockySock.

"What are you doing?!" shouted TheBreakfastMonkey and Cadillac in unison.

"I'm turning SockySock into a sanity" explained Horatio. "Your sanity, specifically."

"What about me?" asked Cadillac, who seemed to finally able to speak.

"You will take Shebacrisp...Hold on."

"What are you going to do?"

Horatio said nothing for a few seconds, but then he held Shebacrisp out and let her float to Cadillac.

"I made it so Shebacrisp's true form was a racer!" he said excitedly. "I thought it would fit you."

Cadillac said nothing, but seemed happy.

Horatio grinned and said, "i think that's good! If you want, you three can stay here until you find a place to stay."

TheBreakfastMonkey jumped excitedly and hugged Horatio. "Thank youuuuuuu!" she said, and the other three decided to leave Horatio's house.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

"Well, where should we go now?" asked Arkcher.

Before anyone else could answer, Paper Mario Master raised his hand and said, "Ooh, pick me! Let's go to the Port of Cheese!! I'm sure your dad will LOVE all the bizarre mutations-" he scowled, and continued sarcastically, "Pff, wait, not mutations, SOR-RY..." and he began to ramble to himself about who knows what.

Aloysius, who seemed on the verge of bursting out into laughter at PMM, nodded and agreed to the notion. "It sounds...like an interesting place," he said.

The group walked through Hamsterdam one last time before embarking, saying bye to everyone Aloysius had met, and then they caught the boat to Swissconsin, which was where the Port of Cheese was.

 

Later on, as the boat sailed on the vast ocean, Aloysius looked out and examined the sea and the constellations. The ocean, a vast blue mirror that he saw no end too, reflected the pictures that one saw in the twinkling white spots in the vast nothingness of space, something that had piqued Aloysius's interest since he was young. But...it was late, and he was so tired that he might doze off and fall off the edge of the boat, or perhaps he would faint at the incredible beauty he was looking at, or even faint at the thought that his mere desire to see Arkcher again had brought him here, to this paradise that had bizarre but kind civilians, beautiful landscapes...and, Aloysius thought, some of the prettiest women in the universe. But that was just his opinion (Plus he hadn't seen anything yet in that field).

 

Once the sun rose, the group found themselves already docked at the Port of Cheese. It hadn't changed since MK and Arkcher had last come there; Aloysius, however, was excited at the prospect of a new place to explore and new people to meet.

As the trio walked off, Aloysius looked at the cloudless blue sky, the matching blue ocean, and the various species of birds flying through the air, and he couldn't help but feel glad he was here and alive. He spun in a circle, his arms outstretched, and laughed happily.

"This place is wonderful!" he exclaimed. "Though it seems like the type of place where pirates..."

"What the hey are you talking about, fool?" said MK. "Pirates don't land in the Port of Cheese for one good reason. Guess."

Aloysius thought for a moment. "There's...none on Invision?"

Arkcher put his hand to his face while MK explained. "No, there are pirates on Invision, but there's a reason they don't come here. Hey, why don't we show you?!"

Aloysius nodded. "That'd be good, since I don't really follow what you're saying."

MK rolled her eyes and grabbed Aloysius's arm.

 

After running through the cobbled streets of awesomeness for about a minute, Aloysius found himself knocking on the door of a building that was just about a mile away from the dock. The door opened, but no one answered; the trio went in anyway.

After walking through the hallway, Aloysius began to notice the eerie quiet. "Why is it so quiet?!" he said loudly.

"SHHHHH!!" whispered a boy. "I'm...I'm hiding!!!"

Aloysius whispered back, "Who are you and who are you hiding from?"

"Come on in heeeeere!" said the voice, in a faux-demonic way.

Aloysius opened up the door, and found himself in a room with the curtains on two sets of windows shut. There was a fireplace, but it wasn't lit, and next to it was a TV with several game consoles of differing brands and ages hooked up to it. There were several couches and chairs as well, but what stood out was...katanas, and lots of them. Katanas, Shirikins, and other various Eastern weaponry adorned the walls and tables. But who was in the room?!

"Oh, hey, it's just you guys...looks like Arkcher cloned himself. Hi!"

"W-what?"

Out from under a table came a medium-height teenage boy with long, curly, and extremely awesome hair. He was wearing glasses, as well as boring, generic blue jeans and....a blue sweater. Which was also awesome. The thing that stuck out, however, was that his skin was...almost cheese-like....wait, it's just freaking Cheesemaster. You already know about him from those first couple chapters. Why didn't I describe him before now?!

Aloysius sighed. "Oh....well, this certainly...was not what I expected."

[Mushroom_king]

(t appears there's quite a few unposted chapters...)

 

Cheesemaster grinned at Aloysius, who seemed both surprised and happy. After all, Cheesemaster didn't seem very threatening, aside from the katana that was attached...I guess to a belt, or something. I have no idea how that sort of thing works.

Aloysius sat down in one of the armchairs and asked, "Who are you hiding from, anyway?"

"her!" he whispered. "You know. Actually, you probably don't..."

"A...girl? Are you hiding from a girl?"

"I guess. I'm pretty sure she's a girl."

MK glared at Cheesemaster and asked, "How old are you again?"

Arkcher laughed to himself while Cheesemaster smirked.

"I'm hiding from Cheese Woman."

Paper Mario Master scoffed. "Ha! That crazy girl who wears way too much clothing for this kind of weather? Then again, you're the one who wears a blue sweater, and you're f-"

Cheesemaster glared at him. It was actually kind of menacing. "Don't You DARE!"

Paper Mario Master murmured something to himself and went back to playing his DS. He sure is mean, isn't he?

 

All of a sudden, the group heard a knock at the door and a muffled "Cheeeesiiieeee!!!! Cheesie, sweetie, where are you?"

Cheesemaster, who, using his awesome ninja skillz hid himself, shushed the others. "Cover for me, please?" he said, desperately.

"Is she your girlfriend?!" asked Aloysius.

"NO! I'll kill you later for asking me that!!!"

"Dang it," mumbled Aloysius.

All of a sudden, the door to the room busted open. At the door was Cheese Woman-as always, in her Victorian dress with a jumbo ribbon in her short, plain hair.

"Cheesie?" she said. She looked around, and then her eyes fell on Aloysius. She pretended to examine him and then smiled and tackled him, sending the two of them straight to the floor. Aloysius didn't even have a few seconds to react.

Cheese Woman heaved in a spazzed manner and began to caress Aloysius's face. "Oh...you're simply..." she couldn't even contain herself. "SQUEEEE! You're so A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!!"

Arkcher, who was about to slug her for glomping his father, grabbed her and pulled her off of him.

"W-what?!" she said, looking at Arkcher, whom she was also slightly infatuated with (but not to the point of cuddly murder). "What is it?"

Paper Mario Master bounced up and down and shouted, "You 'bout near killed his father with your evil, vicious cuddly stranglehold!!"

"Now that's a way to die," said MK.

"his father?!" said Cheese Woman. "Oh! Arkcher, your father is so...SEXY!!"

Aloysius was confused as well as shocked at the girl's behavior, but he remained silent.

Cheese Woman (who was clearly off in her own romantic fantasy world) clasped her hands and said dreamily, "It's just not every day a handsome stranger comes passing through here!" She sighed, and then frowned. "But, despite this, I haven't found my Cheesie-sweetie. Have any of you seen him?"

"N-No!" said Arkcher, quickly.

Cheese Woman giggled and put her arms around him. "Oh, Arkky...I know you're lying...Cheesie-kun doesn't want to admit he loves me, does he?"

Paper Mario Master glared at her and said, "Hmph, I'm sure Cheesemaster is just DYING to tell you how he feels about you...though I doubt you'd be very happy to hear it..."

"What was that, Paper-san?"

"Nothing," he heaved.

Cheese Woman giggled; Arkcher looked distressed. "Arkky, tell me, really, where is my Cheesie-pie? I know you've seen him!"

Arkcher wriggled his way out of her grasp. "I haven't seen him, seriously."

Cheese Woman sighed. "I guess you're telling the truth. You wouldn't lie to me, right?"

Arkcher rolled his eyes. "Sure, Cheese Woman..."

Cheese Woman gave Aloysius another tackle-hug before leaving.

 

Once the coast was clear, Cheesemaster lifted his disguise (NINJA SKILLZ!) and sighed heavily. "I don't know what I'm going to do with her..."

Aloysius put his hand on Cheesemaster's back and said, "Well, it's just water under the bridge...at least, for now it is."

Cheesemaster smiled at him. "I guess you're right, Aloysius. Say, who wants to play some Brawl? I'll pwn you guys!"

"You keep telling yourself that!" said MK.

"Wait!" said Arkcher. "We're missing someone!"

Cheesemaster and MK looked at him, thought for a minute, and then shouted, "Oh, yeah, her!"

"She's really awesome at the game, too!" said Cheesemaster.

"I won't be the only girl in the group anymore!" said MK.

"Why can't I play?!" said PMM.

"But wait!" said Arkcher. "She doesn't live here at the port, does she?"

Cheesemaster nodded. "Yeah, but she's visiting for a few days!"

"Who are you even talking about?" muttered Aloysius.

The others turned to him and said, "the Game Master, Hoops Ahshirt!"

"Oh," said Aloysius. "But who is that?"

 

-------------------------------------------

 

-ATTENTION, ALL FANS OF TALES OF INVISION!-

 

Greetings, this is 4kids entertainment, and we are pleased to give you a very special announcement: we have bought the rights to dub Tales of Invision. We hope this pleases you as much as it pleases us, and we hope you enjoy the newly dubbed Tales of Invision.

 

And remember-4KIDS IS GOD.

 

-4kids entertainment

 

---------------------------------------------

 

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!! 4kids has bought the rights to dub my novel. WHAT?! ONLY I SHOULD DUB MY NOVEL! HOW THE heck DID THIS HAPPEN!!!

 

...wait...I didn't say heck...Anyway, on with the show. Is that a rap intro I hear...?

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

"We're going to go find the Game Master, Hoops!" shouted Mushroom_queen.

"hey, wait a second! That isn't my name!! My name is Mushroom QUEEN! Aw, forget it. You guys all know my name, right?" she said.

"We sure d-hey, where the heck did my katana go?!" said Cheesemaster. He felt around his hips-he felt it there, but it was gone. "DANG EDITS! Wait, i could have swore I said a swear word...oh, never mind..."

"Can't we just go find your friend?" asked Aloysius.

"Whoa, Aloysius-man! What happened to your voice? You sound less British, and...more like an American trying to British."

"Why-!"

"Whoa dude, don't take it seriously, I'm not insulting you. Just your voice actor...wait, why do we have those?"

"STOP BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL AND LET'S GET MOVING!!" shouted Cheesemaster (who was voiced by Jason Griffith)

 

The group walked through the town, searching for Hoops, and they eventually found her in a video games shop. Like he had with most of the Invisionists, Aloysius was shocked at her appearance-everything screamed VIDEO GAMES!! She had a power glove on one hand and had all sorts of video game cosplay items. But for some reason...

"What are you pointing at?" asked Aloysius.

Hoops looked confused. She looked at her hand and suddenly spazzed out.

Paper Mario Master freaked out. "Hey, she's supposed to have a light gun! Now it's...an invisible gun! Or maybe it's just nothing. I dunno."

Hoops looked sad for a minute but then smiled.

Aloysius smiled back at the girl. "Are you Hoops?"

Hoops raised her arm and said, "I'M HOOPS AND I'M THE GAME MASTER!!!"

"OH MY GOSH HOOPS YOUR VOICE IS EAR #### COFFEE!!!"

"Huh?!" said Hoops. "Oh my Gosh you're right I SOUND HORRIBLE!! I MISS MY OLD VOICE!!!"

"I never knew your old voice!" said Aloysius.

"We can't play Brawl with our voices like this!" said Arkcher, who's voice was far too deep, "It'll become so annoying after a while we won't be able to stand it! And why does Paper Mario Master sound like a 10-year old? Isn't he a grown man?!"

"YES, I AM!!!" said PMM. "I'm just concentrated awesome, that's all!"

"Our world is ruined!"

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, back in the Port of Cheese, chaos was brewing because of all the strange things going on.

"Your voice sounds awful!"

"Where the heck did my [some weapon] go?!"

"What happened to my accent of awesomeness?!"

"I know what happened!" exclaimed Paper Mario Master.

The others perked up.

"I think we've been re-dubbed!"

"whoever re-dubbed us did a pretty silly job," muttered Cheesemaster.

"What can we do?!" asked Aloysius.

"Nothing, sadly," said PMM. "But, seeing how silly this dub is, all we can do is sit back and hope the ratings are awful so we can get back to the awesome dub."

 

------------------------------------------------------

(Just so you know, there was a part in that chapter that i ended up removing entirely...I feel kinda bad...)

 

After regaining the dubbing rights, peace returned to Invision. All was good, and the group played Brawl and later went to bed.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

The group woke up in the morning, and MK explained that she needed to go see Dawn, her friend from the earlier chapters.

"Why do you need to go see her?" asked Aloysius.

"I just do, OK?" said MK. "That's all."

"Sounds odd, but let's go anyway. Does she live around here?"

"She does, but not in town," she explained. "Her family is really strange. They all live in this big, scary place outside of town."

Aloysius turned to Arkcher. "Her family is...strange? How?"

Arkcher shrugged and looked at the ceiling. "Honestly, I have no idea. I've never met anyone else in her family. Dawn herself is pretty eclectic, but kinda weird at the same time."

Aloysius looked worried. "Any idea why?"

Arkcher decided it was best not to worry his father. "No," he lied, "I'm not sure. Maybe she just seems strange to me."

Cheesemaster invited himself to come along with the group for their little adventure. Besides, he needed to nag on Paper Mario Master.

The group said Good-Bye to Hoops and set off for Dawn's house.

 

The area around the Port of Cheese was an inviting, but lonely place. Swissconsin bordered the ocean, so there was a beach, but despite the good weather no one seemed to be there. The rest of the area was filled with hills and rocks, and a gentle, warm breeze always blew in from the sea. Aloysius breathed it in and felt calm and collected for the first time in days. The ocean itself was beautiful, and Aloysius was enthralled by it-seeing as he didn't see a sight like this very often at home.

Eventually, they stumbled upon a large, scary-looking mansion. Dawn's family clearly had money to spare.

Aloysius gasped and asked, "Is this where your friend lives?!"

"Yeah," said MK. "Don't be so scared. You'll be fine."

"What makes you think I'm scared?" laughed Aloysius. MK looked at him-he really wasn't scared. He wasn't even shaking-he had a warm smile and his eyes were bright, and his hair fluttered in the breeze. "Honestly, this house seems out of place," he said, and began to walk up to the door.

 

MK butted in front of him and rung the doorbell. A few seconds later, a girl in a knee-length, Black dress, Black sailor's cap, and knee-high gray boots and brown hair was at the door. It was Dawn.

She smiled and waved to them and opened the door. It didn't creak, lulling Aloysius even deeper into a sense of security. The house was well-kept. Nothing wrong here.

"Hi, MK, Arkcher, Cheesie! And who are you?"

She looked at Aloysius, confused.

He snapped back to reality and laughed nervously. "I'm Aloysius Ahrroww, and..."

"Ohhh, so you're Arkcher's dad? Of course! You look just like him!" And she laughed. She looked very dark, but she was a happy girl.

"Come on in! I'm glad you came, MK!"

The two of them talked back and forth to each other while as the group stood in the foyer. It was enormous-a lot bigger then the one at Arkcher's Mansion. The room was gray and seemed sad and old. A staircase was in the middle of the room, splitting off into two parts. There were a few doors on the ground floor, as well, and a large chandelier on the ceiling. Despite being gray, the room was tidy-no cobwebs or dust in sight.

"Alright, you guys, I'll lead you to my dining room, 'kay? You can chat with the rest of my family while me and MK do business." she glanced at MK, who was looked uneasy. "By the way, Arkcher...could you give this to my little sister, Sterling?" she handed him a stuffed bunny. He held it in his hand and looked at it. It looked demented-it had a crazy smile and crazy eyes, but more alarming was the amount of stitches. They were everywhere on the toy-the neck, the chest, the back, the arms-they were everywhere. Sterling must play with the toy quite a bit for it to be so worn-out.

"Dawn!" asked Arkcher, "i don't think I've met your sister."

Dawn gasped and blushed. "Of course! How strange and forgetful of me. She's just knee-high, curly hair, and a gray dress with faded pink ribbons. Big eyes, faraway look in 'em? You'll know her when you see her."

Arkcher nodded. "I see."

 

The group was led to the dining room, where there was a table, just enough for 8 people-6 for the family members, and 2 for guests...or lack thereof. MK was really the only guest they ever had.

"Alright!" said Dawn as she sat everyone down. "My Step-Father should be down here soon for Tea Time! Me and MK are leaving now. Take care, and Arkcher, don't forget about Sterling!" and the two were gone.

Aloysius seemed a bit dumbfounded-Dawn was an excited, hyper girl who never seemed to stop doing things.

"Tea Time?" he asked. "That's good timing for me, then."

The conversation was stopped short by footsteps. The group turned and saw a man who looked as though he had stepped out of 19th-century England onto Planet Invision-He wore a black coat that went to just below his hips, and under the coat he wore a vest, which was a dull beige color, as well as a black cape, pants, shoes, and a top hat.

He looked surprised, then disgusted, and then he smirked. He said, with blunt sarcasm, "Oh, it's some of Dawn's friends. What a pleasure to have you here."

Aloysius, who for some reason was not put off by his appearance nor his tone, smiled at him. "Yes, these are Dawn's friends. Who are you?"

The strange man scowled and said, "You haven't heard of me? I'm the famous prosecutor, J.R.! Do you know what that stands for?"

"James Rolfe! James Rolfe!" whispered Paper Mario Master.

J.R. ignored him. "It stands for Jakob Rabitt. As I said, I'm the famous prosecutor. I've only had one loss on my entire record. He smirked at them again and adjusted his hat. "Who are you, my dear man?"

Aloysius smiled. "I'm Aloysius Ahrroww, the famous Inventor. Looks like we have something in common!"

Jakob scowled again. "Don't try that with me. I don't make friends that easily.'

"What a d*****," whispered Paper Mario master.

Aloysius gasped silently. There was only one other person who had ever spoken so coldly to him-and he had been married to that person for 20 years.

Aloysius seemed a bit sad. He only wanted to enjoy tea time with another person. He shook it off and smiled. He wouldn't let it get to him.

"Arkcher, don't you need to return that bunny to Sterling?" said Cheesemaster, finally saying something.

"Oh yeah!" he said, "I almost forgot. I'll go look for her."

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Arkcher walked slowly up and down the enormous halls of the Rabitt manor, looking for a little girl named Sterling. he was dumbfounded at how huge this house really was-the hallways had high ceilings, and portraits of the Rabitt family lined the halls. From what he heard, only six lived here. But there were portraits from their entire family history.

Suddenly, he encountered one of a little girl with curls in her hair, a gray dress, and faded pink ribbons...Sterling? Unfortunately, there was no name underneath the painting-or any painting, for that matter. Arkcher looked at the picture. She was a cute girl, but she was scary...almost doll-like...and she had enormous, spooky eyes. He continued his search for her.

 

----------------------------------------------

 

Back in the dining room, Aloysius and Cheesemaster, being the only ones left, sparked up a conversation.

"Do you know anything about this family?" asked Aloysius.

Cheesemaster answered him, "I know a few things. There's two men who are brothers, Jakob and James Rabbitt, and there's Julia, who is Jakob's wife, plus Dawn and Sterling, who are Julia's little sisters. There's also Richard Rabitt, who is Julia and Jakob's son. I've only met Dawn, though."

"Do you...have any idea why Jakob was dressed like that?"

Cheesemaster shrugged. "All six come from this planet, called Cullough, which is known as the Horror-story planet. Maybe there's a horror story taking place in the 19th century? I know there's lots of Horror Manga like that."

"So, does Jakob believe it's still the 19th century?"

"I don't know. I'd assume so-or maybe he knows, but doesn't want to believe it."

"He doesn't seem like a very kind man," mustered Aloysius, "He was so rude to me."

"You should see how he treats me and MK and Hoops," said Cheesemaster, laughing sarcastically. "If he got a good look at you, he would like you."

"Oh?" said Aloysius, surprised. "Is that so?"

"Yeah. He's got these weird morals and everything. He refuses to believe that MK is a woman because she's outspoken and doesn't wear a dress."

Aloysius couldn't help but laugh. "That's a bit sad, but rather funny, too!"

"What's so funny?" said a soft voice.

The two turned to see a man, but he wasn't Jakob-he had softer eyes, and a different outfit. He wore a dark-green coat that went to his knees, and underneath was a brown vest. He was also wearing beige shoes and a tucked-in ascot, and had wispy, blond hair, which was in a loose ponytail, which was on his shoulders.

"Hi Cheesemaster," he said. "Who's your friend here?"

"This is Aloysius Ahrroww, and he's Arkcher's dad. He's famous for inventing things. Aloysius, this is James Rabitt, Jakob's brother."

"They're polar opposites for Brothers," muttered Aloysius.

"I see. You met Jakob first. Put off by him, were you?"

Aloysius nodded.

"Don't worry about him!" said James, excited. "Here, I'll get you some tea. You like tea, don't you?"

Aloysius smiled and nodded. This man was treating him so kindly, when his brother had treated Aloysius so coldly earlier. It was a distinct change.

When James got back, he set down a tray that had three cups of tea for all of them.

"Well, like it was explained, I'm James Rabitt, the famous Attorney. I've only had one loss."

 

---------------------------------------

 

"Sterling! Sterling! Where are you? I have something to give you!"

 

Arkcher shouted as he walked up and down the gray, stone hallways of Rabitt manor. His voice echoed, and he sighed. He would never find her at this rate.

"I don't want to barge into any rooms," he thought to himself, "because that would be rude. I'll have to.."

"Is someone looking for me?" said a quiet voice.

"Eh?" Arkcher turned around. Behind him was...a small, doll-like girl with a gray dress, curls, and faded pink ribbons...just like in the picture...Sterling!

"Is someone looking for me?" she repeated.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Arkcher got down on his knees so he could look at the small girl. She was just as scary-looking as she was in the painting-her skin was pale, her eyes were emotionless-she was a pretty girl, as young as she was, but she was almost doll-like, and she was frightening.

"Um...I..I was." stuttered Arkcher. "I was looking for you. I need to give something to you."

Sterling said nothing.

Arkcher, who was only getting more frightened by the small girl, paused for a few minutes.

"Your sister, Dawn, wanted me to give this to you," he said, his voice shaking.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the mutilated rabbit, and held it in his hand out to Sterling. She looked at it, and reached for it, and upon touching it, she grabbed it-but didn't take it from his hand. Rather, her fist, clenched around the rabbit, stayed in his hand. Her grip on the toy continued to get tighter, when she suddenly began to cry.

Arkcher lost his balance and fell, so he was now sitting on the cold floors of the mansion. The rabbit sat abandoned at Sterling's feet, and she was bawling her eyes out.

"Sterling!!" said Arkcher, "Please, what is it? What's wrong?!"

She said nothing, she continued crying.

"Sterling, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong!!"

Sterling wiped a few tears away but kept crying.

"STERLING!!!" said Arkcher, angered. Sterling wiped her eyes and sniffed a little. She looked at him, and then at her rabbit, which she grabbed. She sniffed again and grabbed his arm.

Arkcher, who was surprised, got dragged away by the small child, and evntually found himself in a room-he assumed it was Sterling's room. The room was big, had a large, ruffly, gray bed, and many stuffed animals-all of which were rabbits, and all of them were cut up. Big rabbits, tiny rabbits, Fluffy rabbits, brown rabbits, Jack Rabbits, all kinds of Rabbits-Then again, it was her last name.

Sterling dragged Arkcher onto the carpet, and they both sat down. Sterling put the toy bunny she was carrying on the floor, and took something out of her pocket...Arkcher thought it was a piece of rope. She unfurled it and it was...

a miniature noose

 

Arkcher watched in horror as Sterling took the noose and tied it around the bunny's neck, and then put it on the floor. She crawled over to a ruffly black toy chest and pulled out "toys", and I use the word very loosely, because these were not conventional playthings.

Arkcher, who was stunned, watched as she pulled out some wind-ups and a ball. Normal toys, for now at least.

Sterling took a small set of Metal, wind-up animals-there were two rabbits, of course, but there was also a cat, a dog, and a panda.

Sterling then pulled out of the box a ball of knots that turned out to be several tangled marionettes. She sighed, and threw them in the box. She reached back in, and took out...a tiny guillotine.

Arkcher gasped again, causing Sterling to pause for a moment, but then she crawled back over and put the contraption down next to the bunny.

Sterling looked at Arkcher with her enormous, gray eyes, and asked-"Do you want to play with me?"

Arkcher said nothing-he was unable too, for he was so frozen in a state of absolute terror, that he knew nothing to say. He didn't need words to say-this child in front of him was a horror movie, a demonic child, and it was sitting right before him.

He screamed as loud as he could and took off from the room.

 

------------------------------------------

 

"...Well, Aloysius, as I said, I'm an Attorney. I've had only one loss!"

"One loss..."

 

Back in the dining room, Aloysius and Cheesemaster had struck a conversation over some tea with Jakob's brother, James Rabitt, the attorney.

"Your brother is a prosecutor and he said he had only one loss, too!" said Cheesemaster. "I'll bet you two met in Court once."

"How did you know?" said James, smiling.

Cheesemaster seemed flattered. "Oh, I just guess..."

Suddenly, the door opened, and a blood-curdling scream was let out, followed by heavy breaths, and the door slammed shut-it was Arkcher. He was pale, weak, and scared.

Aloysius got up and began to run toward him. "Arkcher!! Are you alright? You're...so pale...what happened?"

Arkcher was delirious.

"That....that girl...that little girl..."

"I see you met Sterling," said James nonchalantly.

Aloysius turned and looked at him. "Sterling? Dawn's sister?"

"Indeed," said James. "It's best to stay on her good side, though...Arkcher, what did you do to Sterling?"

Arkcher took a deep breath. "I...she...asked me to play with her. She...was going to chop off the head of...her little toy rabbit. I didn't want to play with her, though."

James turned his head quickly and said sharply, "What?! No, no, no!!! You must go back and apologize to her IMMEDIATELY!!!"

"W-what?! You're kidding, right?! No way I'm going back to her!!"

James looked straight into his eyes. "You must!"

Arkcher shook his head. "No!"

James scowled and said, "Why aren't you..."

Cheesemaster got up. "I'll go talk to her!"

James looked at him.

"You must bring this stubborn git along with you," he said, grabbing Arkcher's tie and flinging him towards Cheesemaster.

"N-No," said Cheesemaster, "I'll go by myself! I'll play with Sterling."

James closed his eyes. "Fine, as long as someone abides by her requests."

"Aren't you spoiling her by abiding to everything she says?"

"Not everything," said James, "Just this. She's very emotional."

Cheesemaster nodded and headed off after being told where Sterling's room was.

 

-----------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster walked up and down the long, wide, stone hallways. It was a bleak place, only improved by the paintings of the Rabbitt family members-and those were bleak, as well.

Dawn is the only one who seems to be very colorful and eccentric, he thought, James is nice but still bleak. Dawn seems to be the only one who realizes what century this is.

"Ah, here's her room," he said, and he knocked. Cheesmaster knew you should never walk uninvited into a girl's room.

The door opened slowly. "Have you come to play with me?" asked a voice. It was eerie, and he assumed it was Sterling's.

"Yes, I've come to play with you," said Cheesemaster. The door opened a slight bit and he glanced in, and then entered the room.

He noticed a small, gray-looking girl on the floor-Sterling, he assumed.

"Sterling?" he said quietly, shutting the door. "Are you okay?"

"No," she said, "That mean boy with the long hair was scared of me."

Arkcher, he thought. He ran off.

"I see," said Cheesemaster. "He's my friend. He was just a little shocked, I guess."

"Why was he scared?" said Sterling. "He's a big boy. Why is he scared of a little girl like me?"

Cheesemaster sat down in front of her. In between the two of them was her bunny, with the noose tied around it's neck, the wind-ups, and the guillotine.

"I don't know why my friend was scared, Sterling. But, I didn't come to talk about that, I came to play with you."

Sterling looked up. She looked him up and down, down and up, and up and down again.

"Who are you?"

Cheesemaster smiled at her. "My name is Cheesemaster. I'm Dawn's friend. I hope you'll be my friend, too."

Sterling smiled. "Oh...so you're Cheese Woman's Special One..."

"W-W-W-W-WHAAAAAAAAAT???"

"Oh, Cheesie, why are you yelling? Isn't it true?"

Cheesemaster looked upset. "Sterling, that isn't true, and it hurts my feelings! You can't be my friend if you hurt my feelings!"

Sterling pouted, "You can't hide your feelings forever!"

"Sterling, what did I say to you?"

Sterling looked ashamed. "I'm sorry Mr. Cheesemaster. Will you still be my friend?"

Cheesemaster looked at her, puzzled. He smiled. "Of course I'll still be your friend. It's not that big a deal."

"Good!" said Sterling happily.

"What are you doing with your toys?" asked Cheesemaster. He and Sterling were laying on their stomachs now, and she arranged them and pointed out things as she explained.

"Well, my stuffed bunny is going to get executed today," she said, putting the rabbit under the guillotine, "But his wife is mad." she took a wind-up rabbit and put it by the guillotine. "But she can't do anything, so poor Mr. Bunny gets executed anyway..." and with that, the blade came down, and the toy's head came off. "Oh, he broke again. I'll need to sew him."

Cheesemaster was clearly disturbed by this, but played along anyway. "Do..do...you like this game?"

"A little. It's fun watching Mr. Bunny's head come off, but I think it hurts Mr. Bunny. Plus I always have to fix him after."

 

She started to put the toys away when Cheesemaster grabbed the Rabbit and his head.

"You know, Sterling, I can sew. I can fix Mr. Bunny right now if you want me too."

She gasped. "Oh, Mr. Cheesemaster, you will? You really are my friend!"

He nodded. "I need a sewing kit, though."

"I have one!" said Sterling. She got up and walked over to her closet, and came out with a box. She opened it, and inside were threads, needles, and other things to fix the doll.

 

As the doll got sewed, Cheesemaster decided to talk with the disturbed child.

"You like bunnies, don't you?" he said.

"Yea. I guess you see all those bunnies."

"That was my first guess."

The two were silent. Sterling began to talk.

"Why was that boy's hair so long? Only girls have hair like that."

Cheesemaster laughed. "That's not nice, Sterling!" He grinned. "James has medium-ish hair. Don't you like him?"

"He's nice. He's nice to me and plays with me sometimes. I don't like Jakob though. He's mean to my big sister Julia."

"Julia...isn't she his wife?"

"Yes. Jakob is Sissy's husband, my step-dad, and he's Richard's daddy."

"Richard? Who is that?"

"He's my brother, I think. I wish he would play with me because he's just a little younger than me. But he won't. He won't play with girls!"

"That's not nice either."

"I know! I just want to be his friend! I think he's scared of me, though! I know he's scared of my sister Dawn."

"Speaking of Dawn...what is she doing? MK invited us over because she had business with Dawn, but I have no idea what they're doing."

 

(There's one or two more chapters I need to post. I'll post them later.)

[Mushroom_king]

[RANT TIME!!!

 

It's beginning to make me mad that on dA, my EarthBound stuff has more views then my original work (Invision, Legend of Giza, my songs, etc.)

 

But whatever, on with the story.]

 

 

"Sterling, do you have any idea what Dawn and Mushroom_king might be doing?" Cheesemaster asked.

Sterling though for a moment. "Perhaps you should go check, Mr. Cheesemaster...though I think...you might be a bit surprised."

Cheesemaster stopped sewing the rabbit and became angry. "Sterling, are you hiding something from me? Is it important? MK and Dawn are my friends, I need to know what's going on!"

"Dawn told me not to tell anyone!!!" shouted Sterling, "And you're not a good person, trying to get me to break that promise!"

Cheesemaster said nothing, when all of a sudden the lights began to flicker in the room, and the walls began to distort.

"Sterling-!"

"You're not very nice, are you! You're mean, trying to get Dawn's secret!"

"S-Stop it-!"

Suddenly, a crack of lightning was heard from outside, and whatever was going on stopped. Sterling yelped, and latched onto Cheesemaster.

"W-What-!"

"We need to go check on my sister! Now!"

"W-what?!"

"Now, please! Her room is upstairs. I'll show you."

"Are you going to keep yourself latched onto me like this?"

"I'm scared!"

Cheesemaster pried her off his body and held her, but before leaving, he showed her the finished bunny.

"Here, I finished your rabbit. You should stop chopping his head off, though-maybe someone like AlienFreak could make you a toy where the head goes back on easily."

He handed the doll to Sterling, and then picked her up. The two of them left Sterling's room to go check on Dawn and MK.

 

----------------------------------------

 

"It sounds like a storm is brewing up..."

Back in the dining room, The Ahrrowws and the Rabbitts were having tea when the thunder sounded out of the blue, startling them. That, and Jakob had joined them.

Suddenly, Jakob stood up and scooted his chair in. "Something is not right here. I can feel it."

James stood up and looked at him. "What...do you mean? It's just a storm."

"I....we need to find everyone else. Something is not right here."

"We can start by looking for Julia and Richard. We have no idea where they are. Dawn and MK are in Dawn's room, and if I'm right...Cheesemaster and Sterling just left Sterling's room." said Jakob.

"Let's go, then," said Aloysius. "What are you sensing, anyhow? And how are you sensing it?"

Jakob looked at Aloysius and smirked. "They say that I...have the senses of a Hare. Or should I say...a rabbit..."

 

-----------------------------------------

 

"Here! This is Dawn's room." said Sterling.

Cheesemaster knocked, but Sterling scolded him. "This isn't a time for politeness, you need to go in there!"

Cheesemaster agreed reluctantly and slammed open the door. Inside, there was Dawn, sitting on a bed, and MK next to her...it sounds normal, but he gasped once he saw that there was red around Dawn's mouth, and MK looked weak.

"DAWN!!!" screamed Cheesemaster, livid, as he set down Sterling. "H...How?! How could you be doing this?!"

Dawn wiped her mouth with her sleeve and began to cry. "I asked for her permission..."

"I...I knew you were a vampire, Dawn, but you told me, Arkcher and everyone that you were feeding off of wild animals...but you were feeding off of your own friend?! How could you?!"

"Stop yelling at my sister!" shouted Sterling, when the same spooky things began to happen: the lights flickered, the walls became distorted...

"Sterling, no! You can't do this!"

"You're so mean, yelling at Dawn like that! She can't help it!"

"You don't seem to understand!" screamed Cheesemaster, who was still extremely angry. "She can't do this to her friend!"

Dawn wiped her eyes with her sleeves, and stopped crying. She got off the bed and put her head on Cheesemaster's shoulders. "I think I overdid it this time..."

Cheesemaster gasped. Sterling's anger continued to manipulate the area around them. "What do you mean?"

"I think...I think I took too much from her...I hope she's ok..."

Cheesemaster pushed her away and grabbed her shoulders. "What do you mean?! If you took too much from her, then we'll need to take her somewhere!! Don't you guys have a doctor or somebody here at your mansion?!"

The commotion around the room stopped, and the door flung open-Aloysius, Arkcher, Jakob, and James had found them. They all breathed sighs of relief, but after being told what had happened, they were all delirious with fear and anger again.

"We'll need to take her to Alice. That's our nurse. She'll fix her up!" explained James, and Aloysius picked up MK. Arkcher looked at her, frightened. "I...hope she's fine..."

 

-------------------------------------------

 

The rain continued to pound on the roof of the mansion as the group ran as quickly as possible to this 'Alice' who lived with them, and they still had no idea where Julia and Richard were.

"Alice's room is on the 3rd floor," said Jakob, who was the fastest. "I'm sure she's in there getting ready for bed..."

Upon reaching the third floor, everyone but Jakob was out of breath. He scowled at them and sneered, "This is what I expect from you lower people, you're so..."

Cheesemaster lunged towards him. "NO ONE TALKS TO ME LIKE THAT!!!"

"I just did, and I think you deserved to know it!"

"Oooh, now you..." Cheesemaster raised his fist in angst, but was stopped by James.

"Stop, we have more important things to worry about. Jakob, you need to cut that out. You're not better then anyone else."

Jakob frowned. "You don't talk to me like that!!"

"I just did, and I think you deserved to know it. Now, Come along, here's Alice's room."

James opened the door and looked inside. His face slowly faded from a look of hope to one of horror, and the color drained from his face. The other looked and had the same reaction: for there was no Alice in the room, at least not a whole one; rather, there were just a few chopped-up bits of Alice, strewn in piles of blood on the floor of an otherwise very nice room.

"Alice..." sobbed Dawn.

"MK..." Arkcher murmured hopelessly.

Jakob cleared his throat and muttered, "There...There has been...there has been a murder. In my house." He gritted his teeth, and sat down at the desk in the room. he put his hand to his face and repeated it to himself again, was silent for a moment, and then slammed his fist down on the table.

"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!"

The others were silent. Everyone was upset and shocked.

 

Arkcher's knees suddenly gave out. He fell to the floor and began sobbing.

"M..K...MK...please...MK!!! Please, please, be okay...Please live! MK!!!"

Aloysius kneeled down and, placing his head on his son's shoulders, put his arms around him and whispered, "It will all be alright. Everything will be alright..."

Suddenly, the sobfest was interrupted by Paper Mario Master-he seemed to be fine, but a little weak. "Hey...guys? Uh...lemme get this straight...MK was short on blood, it's all Dawn's fault, it's storming like #### out there, there's a murderer in the house, and we have no idea where Julia and Richard are...right? I...I feel kinda weak, guys. Oh, man, the paaaain..."

"Wait," said Cheesemaster, "Why are you so worn out? Dawn was drinking MK's blood, not yours."

"Yea, well...I kinda...ugh...I noticed how...how weak MK was...oh, no....and I gave...somma my blood to...ACK!...I gave somma my blood to her. I had no medical tools, so I ended up using...this knife I stole from the kitchen." He showed everyone an enormous wound on his palm.

"She...she's just sleeping now. She'll be ok...you...you idiots need to concentrate on not getting killed, kkay..you know, by whoever chopped up...Alice...oh, man, this is more serious then the internet!"

Aloysius and Arkcher (who had stopped crying) went over to PMM. "You need to rest, dude." said Arkcher.

"Alright," he said-and he did.

Jakob got up. "We need to focus. The murderer will be targeting Julia or Richard next. I cannot let that happen."

"Then let's go!" said Cheesemaster. "But we need to do something about MK...I'd think that Dawn and Sterling could take her and look after her, but we can't have them all alone, plus we need a female in this plotline so no one accuses us of sexism."

"Well, Sterling could help us fight with her powers of flickery lights and whacked out physics, but Dawn is a vampire, so she could use her vampirey-ness on the murderer. But then again, she just fed off of MK, so I don't think she needs to...plus, Sterling is a little young." said Arkcher.

"Don't worry," said Dawn, "Me and Sterling will take care of MK. We're tough girls, aren't we Sterling?"

Sterling said nothing.

"Alright then," said Aloysius. "We'll go track down the person who chopped up this poor woman, and make sure none of us meet that same fate.

By the way...Dawn, Sterling, James, you all seem quite calm about this. James, you were quite shocked at the scene, and Jakob, you broke down, but you still seem relatively calm. Why?"

James looked at Aloysius with mysterious eyes and a shady smile. "Let's say we're used to it," he said.

Aloysius was frightened by this, but said nothing.

 

-------------------------------------

 

A short while later...

 

"The question is-who could have been the murderer here? The only person on Invision capable of killing someone is that low-class Assassin from the forest in the West, but this is nothing like her. She prefers poisoning and strangling to chopping, and she has her signature...that blue star. And that wasn't there. Plus I don't think anyone wants to kill Alice."

An assassin...here on Invision...thought Aloysius. I hope Arkcher is OK...

 

--------------------------------------

 

Arkcher, who had decided to go and stay with MK, had left the group, leaving Cheesemaster with Aloysius, James, and Jakob. The four of them decided to stick together and look for Julia and Richard, all while avoiding the crazy killer who could be anywhere...

The rain outside continued to pound on the roof like bullets, while the lightning continued to get louder, striking at random, and the eerie silence of the mansion was even more terrifying.

Jakob suddenly broke the silence. "Cheese-Boy, if we get caught by that murderer, I think you're going to be the first to go."

Cheesemaster scowled. "And why is that?"

"What do you mean?! Don't act stupider then you are. You're made of cheese. He'd eat you before even thinking of killing us three."

"How dare you!" shrieked Cheesemaster, lunging at Jakob, and both of them tumbled to the ground. "No one EVER talks to me like that!! EVER!!!

Jakob pushed Cheesemaster off of him and slapped him. "No one ever tries to threaten me like that...ever!" he said mockingly. "You're simply too crazy, eh? Lunging at me like that...you're like a wild animal. You tried to kill me. You're almost as bad as Dawn..."

James glared at him. "Don't you ever talk about Dawn like that."

Jakob glared back at him. "Who's to stop me? The girl needs to know her place."

"Jakob," interrupted Aloysius, "Why are you treating your own family like this? You're trying to act refined, but your behavior proves otherwise."

Jakob glared at him, and second later, Aloysius was on the ground, caused from Jakob giving him a sudden beating with his walking stick.

Cheesemaster went up to Jakob and grabbed his collar, and said with gritted teeth, "If Arkcher was here you'd be down and knocked out in a second!!"

"Please," said Jakob sarcastically, "That boy, if you can call him that, is a weakling. He spends all his possible time fiddling with machinery. It's no wonder he got stuck with that girl, if you can call her that."

Cheesemaster suddenly clutched Jakob's throat and began to choke him. James ran over and pried him off, and grabbed Jakob's collar with one hand.

"Do you see what I mean?! He just tried to choke me. He's out of control."

James began to scold him. "Jakob, I've told you this for years upon years and I'll remind you again: you're a weak man who teases others to make up for your weaknesses. You're vain and rude, and you're horrible to everyone around you." He thrust his brother to the ground and glared at him. "If you're so much better then him, then why don't you try doing the things he does? Personally, I think that he's more of a man then you for being a good person to everyone, including people he dislikes. If you're going to act like this, you can go off by yourself!"

Aloysius and Cheesemaster were speechless. Jakob was furious for being scolded by his own brother.

"Well then, maybe I shall! I'll go on my own."

"Then have fun being targeted by an ax murderer."

Jakob froze in his steps, but refused to look back. He was already ashamed of himself, and felt like he had revealed his weaknesses to the world. He didn't need to feel like that...

 

----------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster, Aloysius, and James had walked through the mansion for what seemed like years, until they began to hear a woman's voice coming from one of the rooms.

"That's Julia's voice," said James.

The group walked into the room, and in there was an attractive woman-whom Aloysius and Cheesemaster presumed to be Julia. She had a bored, faraway look in her eyes, shoulder-length, stringy hair, and a tight-fitting dress with a large ribbon near the bottom of it. She was pretty, but she seemed as though she was bored of everything. In extreme contrast to her was a young boy, who was assumed to be Richard, prancing and laughing. He had short, wispy blond hair like James, black shorts, a short-sleeve white dress shirt, black suspenders, and black tennis shoes. He seemed like a happy child.

"Julia, Richard...something bad has happened."

Richard looked at James and his smile faded to a look of worry.

James sat down. He explained what had happened, the murderer, everything. Julia seemed uncaring, but Richard began to cry.

"I...I'm scared! Mommy...I'm scared..."

He hugged Julia's legs. She still seemed uncaring.

"Mommy...! Why aren't you answering me...!"

James glared at her. "Speak to him, Julia, he's your son."

Her eyes suddenly went very wide. She looked around the room. "Oh, I apologize...was I off in my own world again? I'm sorry..." she picked up Richard and began to comfort him. It was as if she was a totally different person.

How curious... thought Aloysius.

Suddenly, with a crack of thunder, the lights went out.

"Oh...no. Someone, we'll need some candles. Richard...could you get them..."

"I-I'm scared, mommy..."

"Don't worry, we're right here. Nothing is going to get you."

"A-alright." Richard stepped down from Julia's lap into the pitch darkness and walked over to where he knew the candles were...but bumped into someone.

Richard let out a deathly scream-he knew that no one was standing by the candle box.

It's that murder guy! thought Richard, terrified. He was near-collapsing when the lights turned on...and no one was there.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Richard was breathing heavily and fell to the floor. His wispy blond hair fell into his eyes as he simply sat there, relieved but scared.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" asked Julia. "What happened?"

Richard said nothing; rather, he looked at his arm. On his upper right arm was a long, thin gash.

"AHHHHH!!!" he screamed, and fell backwards, causing the wound to be shown to the others. Everyone gasped.

"Richard!! What happened?!" shouted James, as he dove over to the boy and grabbed him.

"I..I was going to grab some candles. I felt someone in front of me and I was sure no one was over here though. I don't know if it was a ghost or the killer guy, but now I'm hurt!" and he began to cry.

James gritted his teeth. "This is the worst possible time this could happen..."

Aloysius took a step forward and said, "I...let me see. I might be able to do something."

"What do you mean? You're an inventor, not a doctor."

"I always found medicine far more fascinating then machines;" said Aloysius. He crouched down and examined Richard's wound.

"I see," he said. "It's clearly been caused by a long, sharp object. But from what I can tell, it was not on purpose."

"I didn't feel anything when it was dark though," sobbed Richard.

Aloysius paused and thought long and hard. "I don't know what to conclude. I can tell that this was an accidental knife wound, but you felt no pain until now? Are you 100% sure?"

Richard nodded.

Aloysius paused, and then continued to examine the wound.

"Is it very serious?" asked Julia.

"No," said Aloysius. "This hardly penetrates his skin. See, only a minimal amount of blood has flowed out, and it's already stopped. He'll be fine, but we still need to put a bandage on it. Could one of you brave souls go and retrieve a bandage from that poor nurse's room?"

No one said a word; Aloysius stood up. "Fine, then I will go."

"Dad-!"

"I'll be fine."

"Ar-Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Don't worry. I'll only be a second."

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Jakob Rabbitt sat motionless in one of the sitting rooms of his mansion. He was scared, alone, and ashamed of himself.

There had been a murderer in his mansion, and then the power had gone out; what was to happen next? Would he be the next victim? Why would anyone kill Alice, anyway? He didn't know.

He turned he head sharply as he heard soft footsteps out in the hall. His body froze into a state of fear, but he had to go check.

He began to get out of his seat when he heard heavier footsteps. These were louder, and clearly came from the room he was in. He stood up, and his entire body began to shake. The footsteps stopped, and the footsteps in the hallway continued.

He walked towards the door when a flash of long, blood-red hair caught his sight from the corner of his eye. He refused to look.

He slowly walked out of the room, his heart pounding. He heard a single step from behind him, but continued to walk, his heartbeat getting heavier and louder.

With every couple steps he took, he would hear one single step behind him. No more, just one.

He was about to leave the room when he swung around as quickly as he could, his walkingstick in hand, ready to strike. He saw someone, for a split-second, with red hair...a ghost? There were man of those in the house. But he already knew all the ghosts in his house; none of them were particularly violent, and he didn't really think that a new one would up and live in his mansion.

Jakob took a step back and ran out of the room. He backed away from the door and bumped into someone. He gasped, turned around, and was about to strike with his cane, but it was only Aloysius, who was surprised.

Jakob put his cane down and muttered a muffled "Hmph," and looked at the floor. "Watch where you're walking."

Aloysius smiled at him. "I believe I ought to be the one saying that to you. In fact, I could mention the fact that you were about to have a heart attack as you came out of that door. But I'm not that rude of a man, so I won't. I hope you don't mind."

Jakob glared at him. What he said was true: Jakob was scared out of his mind. But he was nowhere near about to admit it.

"What are you even doing?" asked Jakob.

"If you don't mind, I'm getting bandages for Richard. He somehow got a large, but nonfatal cut on his arm during the blackout, and since no one else would, I took the liberty of going to the late Nurse's room to get some bandages."

Jakob pushed Aloysius out of the way. "Hmph! What are you trying to make yourself out to be? You take care of your son, and I'll take care of mine!"

"Just who do you think you are?" asked Aloysius, who was upset.

Jakob turned around and glared at him once again. "Who do you think YOU are?!"

"I was only trying to help him, you know! Why must you be so rude to me?!"

Jakob walked up to him and smacked him.

Aloysius, shocked, rubbed his face and said, "Why are you getting so worked up over such a trivial matter?!"

"I said!" roared Jakob, "You'll take care of your son, and I'll take care of mine. " and with that, he smacked Aloysius again.

"If you care so much about your son, then why didn't you stay with us to go see him?!" said Aloysius, who was beginning to lose his cool. "I doubt you care this much about him! I hear you're abusive towards your wife!"

Jakob grabbed his shirt collar. "WHO TOLD YOU THAT?"

Aloysius wrestled his way out of Jakob's grip. "I won't tell you, because I think you would kill her!" and he was dead serious saying that, as well.

"TELL ME!!!"

"No," said Aloysius quietly. "And I fear greatly for my own life, as well, right now. I can see it in your eyes. You want to kill me, don't you? You seem kind of murderous."

"Are you implying that I killed Alice?!"

"No."

"LIAR!!"

Aloysius took a step back. "I'm not lying!"

Jakob smacked him again, with enough forced to send him to the floor.

Aloysius sat up and said, "Though I may not be implying that you killed her, I am implying that you are violent enough to have killed her. Look what you are doing to me right now. You're beating me because I want to help your son. You're a violent and rage-filled man, and I'm not afraid of telling it straight to your face."

"You've got a lot of nerve!" growled Jakob. "Telling me off like that!"

"I am simply stating a simple truth. Now, weren't you going to go help your son?"

Jakob gritted his teeth. He was losing this fight.

Aloysius, however, had no smirk or expression of pride on his face; he had nothing more than a straight face and forgiving eyes. Aloysius folded his arms and stared off into space, and frowned.

A moment of silence fell between the two, with Aloysius staring off into space, and Jakob, scowling, had anger and rage building up inside of him.

Suddenly, Jakob roared and struck Aloysius with his cane as hard as he possibly could, knocking him unconscious.

"That will teach you," said Jakob. He smirked and walked off.

 

[by the way, I appreciate you guys telling me how much you like the story, for real. Thanks.]

[Mushroom_king]

Back up in Julia's room, Cheesemaster looked at a clock.

"Where is Aloysius?! He'd be back by now!"

"I...hope that murderer didn't get him," said James, worried.

Julia, who was holding Richard, had that far-away look in her eyes again. She had said nothing for the past hour.

Cheesemaster opened the door. "I'm going to check on him," he said, "And tell him to hurry up."

 

-----------------------------

 

Cheesemaster walked up and down the dull, gray corridors of the mansion, until he found Aloysius, still unconscious. He gasped and picked up his body, feeling for a pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief when he found one.

"A...Aloysius...wake up! What happened?!"

Aloysius slowly opened his eyes. He looked around, and then rubbed his head.

"I...I ran into Jakob, and we had a battle of words. He ended up striking me and I believe I must of blacked out..."

Cheesemaster was furious. "WHAT?!"

"Please don't yell like that."

Cheesemaster gritted his teeth. "How dare he hit you like that! I'll find him and give him a piece of my mind!!"

"Now, my boy, being violent will not solve anything."

Cheesemaster said nothing. He put Aloysius back on the ground and helped him stand up.

"I don't care," he said finally. "No one should do that to you. But why did he do it?"

"He was angry that I was trying to help his son, and he got even angrier when I told him I had heard he abused his wife. He slapped me twice, and then he struck me, and that's the last thing I remember before you woke me up."

"I'm going to find him, and I will show him what I think of him!"

Aloysius stuttered. "Y-You musn't do that. You shouldn't answer to him by being violent towards him."

"If he's a real man he wouldn't have hit you like that, he wouldn't have hit you at all! He would have sorted this out in a civilized manner, but he didn't, and I won't stand for that."

"You're incredibly stubborn, you know that?"

"I've made up my mind."

Aloysius sighed. "I guess I won't change it."

 

----------------------------------

 

Jakob had been giggling like a madman ever since he had left Aloysius.

But truly, he was ashamed of himself for doing it. By hitting him he had proved himself just as out of control and violent as the people he himself insulted. But no matter. He had to find Dawn and Sterling.

One of those two girls are the ones who told him how I treat Julia, he thought.

"HEY!!!" yelled a voice. Jakob turned around-it was Cheesemaster, and Aloysius behind him. Jakob gritted his teeth.

"What do you want, Cheese Boy?"

"How dare you treat Aloysius in such a manner as you did! Since Arkcher isn't here to do it, I'll have to give you a piece of my mind!"

Jakob smirked and clutched his walking stick. "Alright then, Cheese-Boy. Whatever you say."

Cheesemaster whipped out his katana. "I'm warning you, I'm good!"

Jakob took his walking stick, and pushed way part of it, revealing a short sword that didn't look all too tough. "Bring it on, then."

Aloysius stumbled forward and stopped them. "Now then, is this any way to solve your problems?"

"To me, it is," said Jakob.

"Not to me, but I have to do this!" said Cheesemaster, and with that, he swung the katana at Jakob, causing him to jump back.

"Hmph! That's what I would expect from you! What a cheap shot!"

"You should have prepared yourself then!"

Jakob swung his sword at Cheesemaster, who dodged it quickly, and he countered by flinging his own weapon at Jakob.

"Let's get serious, now," said Jakob, and the two swords clashed with each other with a loud clang. The two of them were neck-to-neck now, and weren't ready to show any mercy to each other just yet.

Cheesemaster pushed Jakob to the ground with pure force, and the sword toppled out of Jakob's hands.

Cheesemaster stood over him, proud of himself. He had won.

Jakob looked up at him, and he was once again furious. No one looked down on him, ever!

Suddenly, Cheesemaster crouched down and grabbed Jakob's arms, helping him up, and went over, grabbed his sword, and handed it to him.

"You may have lost, but I still have resp..."

Jakob roared again and swung his blade in a fit of madness and anger, nearly slicing Cheesemaster's head off.

"I think you need anger management classes," said a female's voice from behind him. He fell to the ground, and on his back was...MK!

Behind her was Arkcher, who didn't really know what was going on.

"Stupid...interfering...girl!..."

He pushed her off and brushed his clothes, and he turned and looked at her.

"What is going on here?!" shouted Arkcher.

Cheesemaster explained the situation, and concluded it with "Jakob hit Aloysius with his cane and knocked him unconscious..."

"WHAT??" screamed Arkcher, and a split-second later he had Jakob on the floor, and he was furiously trying to slap him, choke him, and punch him.

"WHAT??" he repeated, "WHY?"

Jakob said nothing.

"ANSWER ME!!" roared Arkcher, who was livid.

"I told you Arkcher would near-kill you if he found out," mumbled Cheesemaster.

Jakob pushed Arkcher off of him.

Aloysius stepped forward. "Did this whole thing really start out of me wanting to help your son?!"

Jakob pointed at him. "You...Your son just tried to kill me."

Aloysius lost his cool then and there. "And you tried to do the same to me!!"

He folded his arms and closed his eyes, and flipped his hair. "Ah, I lost my cool there for a moment. I apologize."

There was an awkward silence after that.

[Mushroom_king]

The group was silent, with Aloysius in deep thought and Jakob, who was being restrained by Dawn and MK, was filled with Rage.

Suddenly, the group stopped what they were doing when an unusually loud crack of thunder was heard. The rain fell even harder now.

Jakob adjusted his hat and breathed a heavy sigh, but said nothing.

Aloysius spoke up, breaking the long silence. "We can't just stand around fighting if we're going to face tomorrow with our lives."

"Julia and Richard are, once again, all alone. Both of them are completely helpless. And there's a killer in the house. What are we going to do?!" said James, who sounded as though he was losing it.

"I don't think there's anything we can do," said Cheesemaster. "The doors in this generic room are locked."

"Are you kidding me?!" shouted MK.

"The doors in this mansion are never, ever locked. This is that killer's doing. He's going after Julia and Richard!!" cried Jakob, who, like his brother, was losing control.

"Calm down!!" shouted Cheesemaster. "Can't we just bash down the doors?!"

"Of course not!!" shouted Jakob, while at the same time, James shouted "Of course!"

"I'd go with what James said. He's not mean." said Paper mario Master.

Cheesemaster ignored him and thought for a moment. "Somehow, I feel that everyone is going to be fine."

"WHAT?!" screamed Jakob. "Are you insane?! We're all going to die with that kind of attitude!!"

Cheesemaster smirked. "You're going to get yourself killed with your attitude. You've come close to death multiple times today."

Jakob said nothing, but he was clearly angry. He had been outsmarted, once again.

Cheesemaster flipped his hair. "I say we're going to be alright. The killer has no intention to kill any of us."

Jakob was about to say something, but then he stopped. "So you think your intuition is correct?"

Cheesemaster nodded.

"Smart-aleck...My family has better intuition then you'll ever have!!"

James hit Jakob in the back of the head. "Shut up."

Jakob swiftly turned around. "Not even my brother can talk to me like that!!!"

James smirked. Jakob was speechless.

"If we are indeed to make it through this predicament..." said James, looking at the rest of the group, "Then our guests will be forced to stay the night with us. And seeing as the doors are locked, we'll have to sleep in here."

Jakob glared at him. "While there's no doubt that those imbeciles will have no problem sleeping on a couch or floor, I myself will NOT do anything of the sort."

James slapped him. "Deal with it."

Jakob rubbed his face. "FINE!" he shouted.

A crack of thunder sounded at that moment, and another blackout ensued.

Unknown footsteps were heard, and Jakob whispered, "Those are the steps I heard in the sitting room earlier!!" and he shouted, "Who are you?!"

The steps stopped. A smooth, but vicious voice came from the darkness. "Who I am isn't important right now. The real question is...Have you learned your lesson, Jakob Rabbitt?"

"How do you know my name?!"

"Let's say you know me under a different name..."

"How?!"

"You all do. You all know me...under a different name..."

"Who are you?!" repeated Jakob.

"I said, that isn't important. I asked: have you learned your lesson, Jakob Rabbitt?"

"If I said yes, will you leave us with our lives?!"

"I promise I will not kill any of you. It is impossible for me to try. I hope this was a life lesson for you."

"GET OUT!!!"

And with that, the strange voice left, and the lights came back on.

"Holy snap!" said Paper mario Master. "That was weird!"

Jakob stared off into space. "I...it must have been me that made that person come here and scare us all. I didn't even ask if he killed Alice...it's no matter now. I guess you can all leave now. I need to sort my thoughts."

"Looks like the doors are unlocked," said Aloysius, trying one of them. "Come on. Let's go."

"I'm sorry for causing so much trouble!" said Dawn, crying.

Aloysius patted her head. "It isn't your fault, my dear girl. I hope to see you again."

 

-------------------------------------

 

Three days after the Rabbitt Manor incident, Arkcher, Aloysius, MK, Arkcher, and Cheesemaster were back in Hamsterdam at Planet Horatio, telling Kat, Glowurm, and Horatio about their adventure.

"I'll bet you were shocked! SHOCKED!" shouted Kat.

"Heck yes we were!" said PMM.

"It sounded dangerous...and awesome!" said Kat. "Next time, bring me!"

"Ok, then!" said Arkcher.

Kat has joined your party!

She has a claymore! She can also jig!

In battle, she can use her claymore, or use Jell-O to imprison enemies!!

 

"NO!!" said Glowurm. "Now I have to do everything here! Why do we have only two employees, anyway?"

 

"Where are we going to go next?" asked Kat when the group left Planet Horatio.

"Well," said MK, "We could go to the desert, the Mushroom Islands, Taynio and Mt. Lexx, The forest, or Outside the Wall. We could also go to Leguan and Adstar. But this is Aloysius's world tour. He decides where we have to go."

"A desert sounds very interesting," said Aloysius, "But I'd like to visit the painter in the jungle as well."

 

-----------------------------------

 

The group eventually decided to go visit the desert to the North, The Ahshirt Desert. That was where Hoops lived, and she had the honor of the local species naming the desert after her.

 

As soon as the group landed, they all nearly fainted at the heat, even though it was expected.

"My God, it's dreadful out here," muttered Aloysius, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. "We'll need to find some water and shade!"

Cheesemaster removed his sweater, revealing a white dress shirt underneath. "I have some. I came prepared! HA!!!"

Arkcher unbuttoned his blazer and swung it over his shoulder. "Let's go find some of our friends."

 

After a rather long and grueling walk, the group stumbled upon a large city in the middle of the desert. This city, which apparently doesn't have a name, was inhabited almost solely by Scarlies, Catgirls who specialize in Fire and Sand magic. Hoops was a Scarlie, too, so the residents named their previously unnamed desert after her.

Anyway, Arkcher pointed to a building at the edge of town, farther away from the others, and was much bigger than the other houses.

"That's Hoop's house. She'll take care of us."

"Oh, Hi!" said a voice. It was a Scarlie who lived in the town; she was dressed in a beige blouse, red best, and black skirt. (Most Scarlies are female)

"What are you guys doing here?" she said.

Aloysius stepped forward. "We're here on a vacation. We were going to see Hoops."

"Are you?!" said the Scarlie. "Oh, well, I guess you already know where to go? Then I'll let you be on your way!"

"You're so nice, Miss. Thank you!"

"And you're cute!" she said.

Aloysius blushed and looked surprised. He still wasn't used to these women being all over him.

"My name is Nova! I'll see you later, sweetie!!"

"O-Oh, um...OK!" stammered Aloysius, and he nervously made his way to Hoop's house.

The others giggled behind their hands and followed him.

 

----------------------------------

 

"Hi, guys! Did you follow me all the way here?" asked Hoops. "That's awesome! I've been looking for tough foes to Game against!"

Cheesemaster laughed nervously and said, "Oh, uh, we didn't come here to play video games with you, you see, we're here to see..."

As the conversation went on, Aloysius looked out the window, completely lost in his thoughts. It appeared he was staring off into space, but in reality, he was staring at someone. Outside the window, just a few feet away from Hoop's house, was a young woman with lengthy, yellow hair, and a dress that was unfitting for the weather, and the outfit was decorated with a giant sun on the front with a floor-length skirt underneath that had a flame/out space pattern. In her golden hair was a tiara. She had caught Aloysius's eye and he was unable to take his eyes off of her.

The conversation in the background continued: "Well, you didn't need to ASK if you could stay here with me. I'm your friend! Of course you can!"

"Oh, good. Well, could we get some drinks? We're thirsty..."

Aloysius payed no mind to them, his entire brain focused on this strange woman outside.

"And...hey, Aloysius, what are you looking at?"

Aloysius snapped to reality and looked at Arkcher, who was standing over him.

"What are you looking at?" he repeated.

"O-Oh...nothing...there's a woman outside who caught my eye."

Arkcher looked out for himself. "Oh, That's Solrai! She's a Sun elf, like you. That could be why."

"She's very pretty..." whispered Aloysius.

"What?"

"Nothing. I didn't say anything..."

"A'right! The rest of us are rested! Do you want to go explore the town or something?"

"That sounds wonderful...." Said Aloysius dreamily. He sighed heavily.

 

---------------------------------------

 

After leaving Hoop's house, The group once again had to decide what to do next.

Kat raised her arm and put her hand in a fist. "I want to...I don't know what I want to do!"

"Well, we could go explore some temples or something out in the desert. That might be cool." said MK.

"That sounds kinda cool..." said Arkcher, who seemed tired already from the heat.

Aloysius continued to be lost in his own mind, and Cheesemaster was silent, occasionally glancing at Aloysius, suspicious. Finally, Cheesemaster stretched his arms and said, "Old ruins sounds like fun! Let's go!"

Aloysius folded his arms and looked at the sky, and sighed. He was choking up at the thought of the strange woman he had seen. He shook his head and shoved her off to the side. It was time to have fun with his son and his friends.

 

--------------------------------------

 

After getting help from the town's tourist department and reaching one of the desert's many ancient Scarlie temples, the group started to explore.

"The ruins are cooler then the desert outside," said Arkcher. "It's a good break!"

Despite his enthusiasm, the group was silent for several hours into their adventure. The temple was eerily quiet, aside from the occasional rodent or insect scampering around. The entire place was eerily peaceful and silent.

The entire group gasped loudly and the silence was interrupted when they heard a woman's scream from down a hallway.

"What was that?!" gasped Cheesemaster.

"Someone is in trouble!" said Kat, taking out her claymore. The group looked around the room they were in to see where the scream had come from. The room wasn't all that big, and there were three doorways, as well as some staircases.

A slightly quieter scream erupted from one of the doorways, and Aloysius rushed in without any thought.

"DAD!! Be careful!!" shouted Arkcher, and he rushed in as well, with MK, Kat, and Cheesemaster following.

The next room of the temple was a rather boring room. The group found themselves on a raised platform, with a stone floor below. Large, crumbling statues of Scarlies adorned the walls along with paintings.

"It came from here! I'm sure of it!" said Aloysius. He looked up and saw that the ceiling was either non-existent or extremely high.

He jumped down to the lower area and continued to look up, when suddenly, another piercing scream came from above, and a few minutes later, Aloysius found a woman in his arms...the same woman he had been watching earlier!

She was breathing heavily and looked scared. Aloysius looked at her, and stroked her hair out of her eyes. "Are...are you...alright?"

She sighed heavily and looked at him with tired eyes. "I...I'm fine. I may have a bruise or two here or there, though."

"If I hadn't caught you, you'd have more then a few bruises. But what are you doing here?"

"I live here!" she said, tired. "I was in my room when a tile gave out and I fell!"

She looked over at the others on the upper platform. "Oh, it's you all...what brings you here?"

Arkcher jumped down to the lower platform. "We were exploring. Are you okay?"

"I...oh, no! I may have broke something..."

A sad look fell on Aloysius's face. "Oh...I'm so sorry!"

"It's not your fault. You don't need to be sorry."

"What did you break?!" asked Aloysius. He sounded concerned.

"I think I may have broke part of my leg. Could someone get a doctor from the town?"

"We'll go!" said Kat. "Aloysius, you stay here!"

Aloysius swallowed and nodded. "I will. I'll take care of her."

He sat her down on the floor and sat next to her. He looked at her dreamily, and said, "So...my name is Aloysius. Aloysius Ahrroww. You're Solrai, aren't you?"

"yes...I'm assuming the kids told you?"

"Yes."

There was a long silence between them, with Aloysius staring at her, and she stared off into space. Suddenly, as if things couldn't get worse, a large crack was heard, and the temple began to shake. Aloysius wrapped his arms around Solrai and grabbed her, and stood up. Several rocks fell in front of him, and he moved away just as a large rock fell down, and medium-and small-sized rocks kept falling. A large boulder fell in front of the room's entrance, trapping Solrai and Aloysius, and the two of them became extremely frightened.

"We're trapped, Aloysius!" she said, and she began to cry. "We're trapped here!!"

She put her head on his shoulder and began to sob, and he wrapped his arms around her. "It's OK. We'll be fine."

Solrai gasped suddenly and lifted her head up and looked at him. "What am I doing?! I barely know you and I am already using your shoulder to cry on..."

"It's fine. It is. I don't mind." he said quickly. "Hmm?" he said, quietly.

"W-what's wrong?"

"N-nothing."

I feel so strange... thought Aloysius, My heart is beating so fast, and I feel so good inside...

"Aloysius, you seem very troubled." said Solrai, looking at him.

"I'm fine. I really am. But since the others will be delayed, we need to put a cast on you."

Solrai gasped and put her hand to her chest. "You want to put a cast on my leg??"

Aloysius looked at her...she WAS wearing a dress. "I didn't say I would. I said we need to. It wouldn't be proper for me to do it myself."

"Well, what do you have to wrap it up with?"

Aloysius thought for a moment, and looked around. Then he spotted something.

"It looks like there's fabric on these statues," he said. "It's probably not very sanitary, however..."

"I'll use it, anyhow," said Solrai.

Aloysius sighed a heavy sigh. "But wouldn't it be disrespectful to remove them from the statues?"

"Don't worry about it," said Solrai.

Aloysius seemed unsure, but he had the uncontrollable urge to protect her, so he obliged. He removed the fabrics from the statues and handed them to Solrai.

"Um..." she said, and she looked at the ground. "I have no idea how to wrap a cast! Do you?"

Aloysius smiled and giggled nervously. "I do, in fact. I have several degrees in medicine and doctoring."

He showed an example using her arm, and then told her to do it herself.

She blushed and said, "Oh, Aloysius...I don't think I could remember..."

"Are you asking me to do it for you?!"

Solrai looked at the ground and said nothing.

"I..take that...as a yes?!"

Solrai swung her head around. "Y-Yes," she said.

Aloysius gasped and blushed. "S-Solrai, I told you, it wouldn't be proper for me to do that! But I shall do it anyway...I...I have this sense of duty that I must protect you."

"Aloysius, if you don't want to do it, then I won't force you too."

Aloysius put his hand on her shoulder. "Do whatever you want. I don't care as long as you're OK, my dear girl."

A surprised look fell on Aloysius as soon as he realized what he had just said.

Solrai said nothing, she simply nodded.

 

A short while later, after wrapping her leg in the stolen fabric, the two wondered what time it was, for they both felt extremely tired.

Aloysius stretched his arms and said, "It's probably best that we both go to sleep."

Solrai giggled nervously. "I'm stuck for the night in a dark temple with a man I barely know, and I have a broken leg! I couldn't be in a worse situation."

"You could be," said Aloysius. "You could be stuck in a dark temple, with a broken leg, with a man who would actually be inclined to hurt you." He sighed heavily and said, "I would never hurt you, Solrai. Good night."

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster, MK, Kat, Arkcher, and the village doctor were at the entrance to the room where Aloysius and Solrai were trapped, and were distraught upon finding that they couldn't open the door.

"Argh!!" muttered Kat, who despite her efforts was unable to cut the door open with her claymore. "This is bad!!"

Arkcher leaned against the wall with a desperate look on his face. "Dad...I hope you're OK..."

The doctor, a female scarlie by the name of Pepper, suddenly interrupted. "As far as I know, there's only one other entrance into that room. It'll take a walk around this entire temple to get there, though. There's all kinds of puzzles you gotta solve to open the secret door."

"Then let's get moving!" said MK. "I'm pretty good at most puzzles."

"This way, then." said Pepper. She lead the group down some stairs into a basement area.

She opened up a door and the room they walked into had several staircases with symbols on the sides, and several switches.

"I assume that switches match certain staircases, and we press the switches and those stairs move?"

"That's right," said Pepper.

"Sounds simple enough," said MK.

"For now it is. Later on things get more confusing."

"What do you mean, Pepper?"

"You'll see."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Pepper said nothing.

"Speak, throwaway generic character!!" said Paper Mario Master. "What's the point of these stairs anyway?! How is it gonna help us get to Aloysius and Solrai??"

Pepper sighed. "You are really impatient!" she huffed. "Well, if you want, we could use some magic or something on the door and see if it knocks down."

"That sounds like a plan!" said MK.

The group backtracked to the door and examined it.

"The door is made of stone, and stone is weak against Wood..." muttered Arkcher, studying it.

"MK, don't you know some Wood magic or something?"

"Just one, but it's Wood/Earth dual-type. I'm much more skilled with Sound. Well, stand back."

MK concentrated for a moment. She shut her eyes and raised her arm in the air, the air around her started to brim with power, and her hair fluttered around.

She spun around, stood for a moment, opened her eyes, and struck the ground as she yelled.

"CALL....OF...THE EARTHBOUND!" as her hand reached the ground, a wave shot out in the form of a quake with a few plants and bones, and swiftly moved towards the door. Plants as well as strange monsters enveloped the door, causing little cracks in it. The door was smashed to pieces, but the aforementioned rock was still in the way.

"OH MY GOD A GIANT ROCK!!" said Kat.

"So that rock was blocking the path! We can't even see over it!!"

"This is horrible!" said Pepper.

Mk shook her head. "Ooh. That's a powerful spell. I don't think I can use it again to crack that boulder."

"Don't worry about it," said Cheesemaster. "I'm sure your mind isn't used to using magic that isn't in your element."

"Thanks, Cheesie. You're really nice."

They grinned at each other and then looked at the stone.

"I use Fire and Sand like most other Scarlies," said Pepper. "Solrai is capable of Magic, but she only knows Support Magic, so she can't break this rock, and I don't think Aloysius uses Magic, does he?"

"Not that I know." said Arkcher.

"What about you two?" she asked, looking at Kat and Cheesemaster.

Cheesemaster shook his head. "No, I can't use any magic. I wish I could, though. It looks like fun to use."

"Nope," said Kat.

"And before you ask me, Nope, I spent all my brainpower on inventions." said Arkcher.

"Ooh, ooh! Pick me!" said Paper Mario Master eagerly. "I know Technology magic!"

"Do you want to try?" asked Pepper.

"Sure," said PMM. "My magic comes from Video games!"

PMM closed his eyes and outctretched his arms. It was the first time anyone had seen him in a dramatic pose. His bowl haircut fluttered around for a moment as he leaned his head back, concentrating. Then he snapped forward, put one leg in front of another (you'd think he was trying to do a dance or something ), clasped his hands, and outstretched them, then opened one into a palm.

"Dot Stream!! I call upon you!" and with that, a series of black dots came out of nowhere, whooshed past him, and hit the boulder, causing sparks.

The damage was minimal, so Pepper stepped in and shouted, "CRITICAL SANDSTORM!!"

The rest of the group ducked as a sandstorm brewed in the tiny room.

The boulder had chipped a bit, enough to look into the room, and it might be possible to move it.

Pepper was about to mention how they could move the rock now, but they heard some whispers coming from the other room.

"Aloysius, did you hear someone yelling from the other room? Do you think it's them?"

"Perhaps...oh, it seems some of the boulder has chipped away. Maybe we can see in there?"

"It's Aloysius and Solrai!" said MK.

"DAD!!" yelled Arkcher. He leaned down and looked over the boulder.

"Dad!! Are you and Solrai alright??"

Aloysius leaned down and looked at Arkcher. "We're fine in here. Do you think you can push this rock out of the way yet?"

"Perhaps. Let's try it."

Arkcher stepped back and Aloysius started pushing the rock forward. It moved a little bit, but not much.

He stopped for a breather, and then started pushing the stone again. It moved a little bit out of the way, and the process repeated until the entire group was reunited.

Aloysius was tired and sweaty.

"Aloysius...are you OK?" said Solrai, who was still in the other room with her broken leg.

"Solrai!!" said Pepper. She rushed in and started to treat Solrai's leg right away.

"Dad, I'm glad to see you're fine!!"

"You too, son."

The two hugged, and Kat screamed, "GROUP HUUUUG!!!" and she joined in. Cheesemaster and MK followed. PMM refused to join.

Aloysius then backed away. "I must go see Solrai."

"Dad..?"

"I...don't know. I need to see her, I need to be there to see that she's alright."

"Dad..."

"Are you upset?"

"No, no. You're just acting strange. That's all."

"Oh." said Aloysius, upset.

"Go, I don't mind. You go see Solrai."

"Thank you, son. I'm glad you understand."

Arkcher grinned as Aloysius ran off and went to see Solrai.

"Looks like our adventure didn't go as planned," said Kat disappointed. "I wanted to hear if the legendary Loituma was here."

The group was silent.

"Whaaaaat?"

"You guys never heard of the Legendary Loituma?"

"What's a Loituma?"

"Probably Illegal."

"Well, in any case..." said Arkcher, "I...need to talk to my dad."

"Why?" said Cheesemaster. "Are you mad because he's spending so much time with Solrai all of a sudden?"

"Of course not!"

"You liar," said Kat. "You're kind of jealous."

"No, No. It's not that."

PMM piped up. "Am I the only smart one here?"

MK picked him up and put him on her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, am I the only one who realizes that Aloysius is in lo-"

"I'm back!" said Aloysius, who was carrying Solrai. "It turns out her injury wasn't all that severe. I'm relieved at that news...I was so worried..."

"Oh, that's wonderful! We were worried, too. If that's true, then why are you carrying her?"

 

---------------------------------------------

 

"Well, dad, are you gonna come back to the town with us?"

"Not yet. I'm going to escort Solrai back up to her room," said Aloysius. He let her down and helped her stand up.

"You're totally not implying anything. Bye, dad! Hurry up, okay?"

"I will." said Aloysius, and as soon as the others left, he looked at Solrai.

"Could you show me the way to your room?"

Solrai nodded and began walking slowly, with Aloysius walking right next to her.

After walking up about 3 flights of stairs, Solrai clasped her hands and looked at Aloysius. "Why did you decided to come with me up to my room?"

Aloysius smiled. "I wanted to make sure you were alright, and make sure none of the floor would fall away beneath you again."

"I see," she said quietly. She looked at the ground and continued to walk, slightly faster this time.

After a while, the pair found themselves very high up in the temple, and Solrai opened up a tall, skinny door. "This is my room," she said. Aloysius walked inside; there was a circular rug with a sun pattern on it, a large bed, a vanity, and a dresser, all in perfect contrast with the walls of the temple. There was one small window over on the Eastern side of the room, with some tiny curtains on it.

Solrai walked over and opened the window, allowing a cool breeze in. She was silent for a moment, before swiftly turning around, and she quickly said, "You-You can stay a little longer if you like."

Aloysius smiled softly and nodded. "If you want me to."

He walked over and sat in a small chair that was next to her bed, while Solrai sat in front of her vanity, looking at herself in the mirror. They were silent for a moment, before Solrai looked at him and said, "I must repay you for being so kind to me."

Aloysius giggled and said, "There's no need for that. My time with you is payment enough."

Solrai gasped a slight bit and asked, "Well, what is that supposed to mean?"

Aloysius looked out the window. "You're a very attractive woman."

With that, she walked over and smacked him. "Is that the only reason you were willing to help me?!"

"Of course not!"

Solrai backed away from him and yelled, "I knew I couldn't ever trust a man ever again!!"

Aloysius, upset, grabbed her shoulders.

"Stay away from me!!"

"Solrai, listen to me!"

"What?!"

Aloysius gazed into her eyes. "You musn't get so worked up about this. I didn't know who you were when caught you. I would have caught you even if you weren't so attractive."

Solrai sniffled and began to cry. "I'm so sorry for lashing out at you! You should be the one getting mad at me..."

"I'll never do that!"

"...Because I'm being so awfully rude to you, and you were so kind to me, and you're willing to spend some time with me, and..."

Her crying fit was interrupted by a stronger, but still soft wind coming through the window. As it blew onto her face, she shut her eyes, and opened them, and then looked up to see Aloysius, still grabbing her shoulders, looking down into her eyes. They were both very silent as Aloysius backed away from her and slowly put his hands behind his back.

He looked away from her and tried to say something, but he couldn't seem to find any words to say to her.

He suddenly smiled and looked at her. "I'm sorry."

Solrai wiped her eyes and sniffled a little bit. "No, I'm sorry. I flew off the handle at you. I should be thanking you. Not only did you save my life, but you complimented me, something I rarely get."

"I couldn't imagine why. You're very beautiful."

"I don't believe that. There are much prettier women on Invision: The models at Hamster Chic, Commander Nightshade, Cheese Woman, Julia Rabbitt, they are all so much prettier then me." She looked at the floor. "You are the first man who has ever complimented me like that."

Aloysius smiled and laughed to himself. "You seem very shy and self-loathing. Why?"

Solrai clasped her hands and walked over to him. "I...don't know."

Aloysius took a single step closer to her. "I could help you. We could spend some more time together. I could be like your counselor."

Solrai looked up into his eyes. They were a lovely sky-blue color just like her own.

Solrai sighed and looked away from him. "You're doing so much for me. There's no way I could repay you."

"You don't need to repay me for anything."

"Yes, but I feel the need to."

"You musn't worry about it. As long as I can spend time with you and see you happy, I'll be alright."

"T-Thank you. You care so much about me, don't you?"

"Indeed, I do."

The two shared a silent moment, and then Aloysius said, "I'm sure my son is waiting for me. I'll see you later, I hope."

"W-Wait..."

Aloysius turned around and looked at her. She ran over to him and hugged him.

"Thank you, for all you've done for me."

Aloysius simply stood there, feeling her breathe, completely lost in a fantasy, until he snapped back to reality.

"You're welcome, Solrai. I will see you again, I promise."

And with that, he left.

After he did, Solrai looked at the floor and put her hand over her heart. "My heart is thumping so hard...Why is that?"

Aloysius's face turned a deep red. He grinned and looked at the ground. "I...I felt like it. I after all, I helped her out while we were trapped, plus....Uh.."

"You don't have a real reason, do you?" asked PMM.

Aloysius said nothing.

"Can't we just get going?" asked Solrai. Aloysius looked at her and smiled.

PMM whispered to himself, "I was right, as always!"

 

---------------------------------------

 

"Dad! What took you so long?" shouted Arkcher as his dad came into Hoop's house.

"Oh, nothing. I ended up staying a little longer with Solrai."

Aloysius blushed and scratched his head. "I-I think she's very beautiful. I enjoyed her company, and I plan to see her again tomorrow."

"Huh?!" said Arkcher, surprised. "Why?"

"She has such awful self-esteem, that I thought visiting her often would help her think higher of herself."

"Of course!" said Cheesemaster. "You're always thinking of other people! I admire that!"

"You do a good job of it yourself, my boy."

"This...these...texts...are...words...stories..." said Kat.

"Are you sure, Aloysius?" said MK. "I mean, we have a lot of Invision to see as of yet."

"I know. But I...I..."

He paused for a moment.

"I feel the urge to help her. I feel it's my duty to help her out with this."

"That's very sweet of you..." said Kat. It was the first time Aloysius had seen her say something serious the entire time he had known her.

"Indeed," said MK, "That's very sweet of you."

"It's nothing. I'm simply doing her a favor." said Aloysius. He smiled at them, but inside he was very nervous and confused; Solrai made him feel very happy and excited, something that he had not felt in years, and the sense he got, the sense of duty, was something very new to him. He planned to figure out why he was feeling this way once he saw Solrai again.

 

----------------------------------

 

"Solrai! Solrai, it's me, Aloysius. I came to see you again!"

Aloysius was knocking on the door of Solrai's room a the top of the Scarlie temple the very next day. He was finally greeted by her; she was smiling, but her eyes were full of sadness. "I've been waiting for you. Thank you for coming."

"I kept my promise," said Aloysius, grinning.

Aloysius walked into the room and noticed that she had set out a small table in the center of the room, which had a sun pattern like the carpet did. There were two chairs on opposite sides of the table, and on top of the table were a few books and a sun-themed tea set."

"Are we having tea today?" said Aloysius, delighted. "You did think of everything."

Solrai looked at the ground and smiled. "I wasn't sure if you would like it. But you seem to be very glad. I'm happy I made it for today."

Aloysius giggled softly and sat down in one of the chairs. Solrai sat down in a chair across from him and looked down. She seemed very shy.

"Is something wrong?" asked Aloysius, leaning forward slightly.

Solrai snapped her head up. "I...I'm very nervous."

"There's no need to be."

"I...I've never been treated this well by any man before...truly, so many have told me I'm pretty, but it was merely a way of getting my trust, and they never meant it...you see, I've been used so many times before, I ended up never trusting a man again...I hardly trusted Stewart when he came to take me here. It's why I live here in the Desert; it's mostly women here. I feel much more comfortable around them..."

There was a long silence, and then Solrai looked at him, her eyes full of sorrow. "I'm so sorry, telling you all that. It's very embarrassing, I-

Aloysius shushed her, leaned over, and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's perfectly fine. You musn't be so hard on yourself."

"But I...I must be boring you with my boring stories...I have nothing interesting to tell you."

"You aren't! You aren't."

Solrai's hair completely obstructed her face as she looked at the ground in shame. She started to cry a little bit. "I'm so sorry!"

"Please, Solrai, don't apologize to me. It makes me feel more upset then I need to be."

He got up and walked over to her, and he wrapped his arms around her. "Solrai...please don't worry about how I feel. All that matters to me, is how you feel."

Solrai looked at him. "You're so sweet, Aloysius...you care so much about me...no one has ever cared so much for me like you do."

"No one? No one at all?" he said. "Funny, I find you to be a very interesting woman. I'd feel that people would flock for you."

"D-Do you-?"

"Your sole con is that you're shy and self-loathing. I...i believe more people would like you if you made a few personality adjustments."

Solrai sniffled. "I'm sorry, Aloysius...I'm just so shy, and..."

She paused, and then said,

"Aloysius..you're so close to me."

"I...I am?"

"We're sharing a seat now."

Aloysius looked and saw she was right; he had pushed her slightly over and was now next to her in the same seat."

Aloysius was shocked and slightly embarrassed at this, but Solrai went on.

"You have your arms around me and you're rocking me back and forth!"

Aloysius yelped and jumped out of the seat. He was breathing heavily, and he sighed.

"Aloysius..."

He snapped his head up and looked at her. "Y-yes?"

"You seem...to be attracted to me."

"What are you talking about?!"

"It's just...Nothing."

Aloysius clasped his hands and looked at the ground.

"I must admit, seeing you for the first time, I couldn't take my eyes off of you."

"Eh?"

"I...I felt so good in a way I hadn't felt in years."

"Aloysius..."

"Truly, though, I don't think it meant much."

"Aloysius, could it be that you...possibly..."

"Yes?"

"...That you possible...Have a crush on me?"

Aloysius was taken aback by her question. He had no idea how to respond to it; his internal mind and heart was yelling both YES and NO at him, and he had no idea what to say to it.

Just as he was about to answer "Yes", a face appeared-it was the face of Lara, Lara Ahrroww...His wife. A woman whom, no matter how horribly she had treated him and Arkcher, he cared deeply for. Solrai, however...

"Solrai-I-"

"Are you trying to tell me Yes?"

"Yes-No-I-"

"I wouldn't mind either way."

"I-I-I-I've only known you for hardly even three days, Solrai! You're already asking me this?"

"Aloysius...please, just answer me."

His mind continued to switch between yes and no. Whenever he flashed to YES, Lara's image seared into his mind, but when his brain flashed to NO, He knew it wasn't the truth.

"Solrai..."

"What is it?"

He sighed and looked at the ground. "Yes. The answer is yes."

 

(Again, there was a part I ended up removing entirely at that part due to the suggestive nature of it. It makes me think that I may not be able to put in Serafina is So Cute at all as a character; at least, not in the version I post here on HD.)

 

----------------------------------------

 

Aloysius's heart was about jump out of his chest, awaiting Solrai's response to his answer. She had been silent for at a few minutes, looking at the ground, when she suddenly looked up at him.

"What was that? I don't think I heard you."

Aloysius breathed a sigh of relief. "Nothing. Nothing important, at least," he lied, and he smiled nervously at her.

"Alright. Just...please forget I ever asked you that question. I'm sure it wasn't at all needed in our conversation."

Aloysius nodded. "I agree. It's not important."

He was now mixed between being happy and being sad; he was happy she had not heard him, but also upset about it-but, he thought, there would be another chance to tell her, once he was more comfortable about it, and once he was sure of everything. Right now he was too mixed to make up his mind.

Solrai gasped and said quickly, "Oh, Aloysius, look! You should be going to see your son now. I'm sure he's waiting for you."

Aloysius breathed another sigh of relief that he was finally getting out of this awkward situation. "Ah, I see. Well, I hate to leave you, but I must. I'll see you again tomorrow?"

Solrai nodded and clasped her hands. "Yes. I hope so, at least."

"Well...I'll be seeing you, then!" He said, and he smiled happily at her, and shut the door.

Solrai looked at the floor and sighed dreamily. She looked out the window and said, "I lied, Aloysius. I did indeed hear you answer my question." She sighed again and whispered something to herself.

 

-----------------------------------

 

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD. Where were you?!"

"You said you'd only be gone for half an hour..."

"Does counseling really take that long?!"

Aloysius sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"Did something happen?"

Aloysius said nothing for a moment. He wasn't sure if he should tell the kids about what had happened between him and Solrai-he decided against it.

"We didn't pay very good attention to the time, that's all. I'll be meeting her againt tomorrow, as well."

Paper mario Master suddenly spoke up. "What the Heck, man? You're taking up all our screen time! Or...page time. Anyway..."

Aloysius leaned down to talk to PMM. "What is it?"

PMM said nothing. He had his suspicions, but he needed to confirm them first.

"It's nothin'." said PMM. Aloysius was surprised by his sudden non-sarcasm. Aloysius realized that he was not telling everything he knew. But he ignored it for now. That was a bad mistake.

 

-------------------------------------

 

The next day, Aloysius was, once again, at Solrai's house. What did you expect?

Solrai waved at him and greeted him. "It's wonderful to see you again!"

"It's wonderful to see you again, as well, Solrai."

Aloysius saw she had the table set up again. There wasn't anything on it, though.

"Well, Solrai, what do you want to do today? Anything you want to talk to me about today?"

"What do you mean?"

"I volunteered to counsel you. You can talk to me about anything that might be troubling you."

"I see. I remember now. Well, let's sit down."

Solrai sat down in a seat across from Aloysius, like they had the day before.

"What do you want to talk about today, Solrai?"

"Well, is there anything you would like explained?"

"You told me a day or two ago that you could never trust a man ever again. Did something happen to you?"

Solrai thought for a moment before answering him. "It's nothing specific, really. I think I said something about it yesterday, or the day before. I've simply been used so many times before that I ended up spending all my time with women."

"But you seem to be a loner. I doubt anyone comes here very often."

"That's true. It's usually just people exploring...and even they don't come very often."

"Then I guess it's refreshing for me to be coming here every day."

"Indeed, it is." She paused for a moment.

"You know, normally I wouldn't let anyone come visit me every day. For some reason...I trust you."

Aloysius smiled softly. "That's good."

Solrai sighed and said, a bit sadly, "I've simply lost my ability to trust people nowadays. You're the first person I've been able to fully trust in some time. I...I've simply never been treated this well by anyone ever before."

Aloysius smiled. "That's odd-I've been treating everyone I meet like this for my entire life."

"Oh, that's very sweet of you...always being nice to people. You're a good man, Aloysius; you truly are." She was quiet as she placed her hand on top of Aloysius's and smiled at him.

"T-Thank you," he stuttered. He began to sweat and looked around swiftly.

"It's...I-It's kind of hot in here..."

"Oh?"

"I-"

The two of them looked into each other's eyes and were silent for a very long time.

"I knew it!" whispered Paper Mario Master. He was just outside the window, spying on both of them. If you're wondering how he got all the way up there, I'm as confused as you.

Aloysius choked for a moment and stammered, "Did you hear something?"

He was sweating even harder now. It was clear he was nervous.

Solrai took her hands off of Aloysius's (causing him to stop sweating) and looked around.

"I don't think I did..."

"J-Just me, then."

PMM murmured to himself, "I've never seen Aloysius act this way before...

"Well, Aloysius, It's been half an hour. You ought to be leaving."

"Y-yes. I...I should."

"Why are you so nervous?" she asked.

Aloysius began to sweat again and tugged at his collar. "I..."

"This isn't because of how I touched your hands, is it?"

"N-No. Certainly not."

"You're acting very suspicious. Well, I'll see you tomorrow."

"As will I..." said Aloysius. Just as he was about to leave, he looked at her once more and said,

"Thank...Thanks for trusting me."

As the door closed, PMM somehow found himself back on the ground. "Suspicions confirmed!" and he ran back to Hoop's house.

 

---------------------------------------

 

"Hi, dad. Nice to see you back here on time today."

"Hi, Arkcher. How was your day so far?"

"Pretty good. The weather wasn't that hot so we took a walk around town."

PMM had already arrived there at the house and was looking at Aloysius suspiciously.

Hoops then spoke up. "After that, we came home and cooled off with some video games!"

Aloysius looked around and noticed Serafina was not there. What a shame. He's an interesting character.

"Dad, is there a reason why you're sweating so hard? It's really not that hot out today."

Cheesemaster looked at him, and examined him. "You're shaky, too. And you're blushing. What happened between you and Solrai?"

"I-"

"I get it now!" said PMM. "You're in love with Solrai!!"

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysius gasped and said nothing for a moment, when suddenly, he snapped back and said, "What kind of preposterous accusation are you making?!"

"I was spying on you today!"

"Th-That's not..."

"You were like...sitting at this table with her, and holding hands, and you were all nervous and stuff."

"W-Why were you spying on me?!"

"I was bored, curious, and boredly curious. So I decided to take a peek."

"That's-!"

Kat butted in and said, "Aloysius, how long is this dumb counseling-type thing gonna go on for?! This place is getting boring. The lack of Jell-O is saddening me more and more."

"I-"

"You need to tell Solrai that you can't do this forever, and that you need to leave soon." said MK.

"I can't do that! She needs me more then ever now. The way I acted today probably upset her." he sighed and looked off into space. "She must hate me now."

Everyone was silent, and then gathered to comfort him. "We'll help you out. We'll come with you tomorrow!"

"O-OK," said Aloysius, anxious.

 

As promised, the group followed Aloysius to Solrai's room in the temple the next day.

Aloysius knocked on the door and called out her name. She didn't answer. He called her name once again and knocked.

"Sooooolraaaaai. Open the door sometime before I'm too old to play video games!" said PMM.

"Maybe she went out somewhere?" suggested Kat.

"No," said Aloysius, "She's not a very social person. She prefers to stay inside. What she does all day, I have no idea."

PMM heaved and pushed down the door. Solrai was standing there, staring at the floor, her expression a mix of sadness, fear, and anger.

"Solrai...?" said Aloysius quietly. He smiled and clasped his hands. She breathed in a soft way, but just heavy enough you could hear it. She walked over to Aloysius and said nothing.

Cheesemaster thought for a moment, and whispered to his companions, "We should give them their alone time."

"BUT-" said PMM, but he was interrupted.

Aloysius heard the door click behind him. There was a very long silence between them, with Solrai looking at the floor, and Aloysius looking at her.

The anger and fear in her expression melted away, the sadness taking over her mood. Her soft, blond hair, the exact same shade of yellow as Aloysius's own, fell over her melancholic eyes-eyes that were the same sky-blue shade as Aloysius's.

He walked over, put one hand on her shoulder, and used the other to brush the hair out of her eyes. She gasped lightly, and looked up at him. She stared at him for a few moments and then plunged her head onto his chest, clutching his shirt, and he put his arms around her.

The two stood there, simply feeling each other breathe, for many minutes. Solrai loosened her grip on his shirt and instead clutched his arms. She made a small whimpering sound, but still said nothing.

Aloysius thought for a long time as he felt her breathe, and then said her name, softly.

"Solrai."

She didn't move her head, but her eyes looked up at him. She responded in an almost-whisper voice. "Yes?"

Aloysius thought again.

She asked him again, slightly louder, but still very quiet: "What is it?"

"S-Solrai."

"Yes?" she repeated.

"Aloysius, we don't have all day!" said an angry voice from the other side of the door. Aloysius ignored it.

"What is it, Aloysius?" she asked him once again. She showed no signs of getting impatient.

"I love you."

She gasped, and pulled his body closer to her own.

She said nothing as Aloysius let go of her body and pulled himself away from her.

"But I..."

Solrai's eyes went from upset to sorrowful. "Yes?"

"I....need to get going. I have a lot of this planet to see." his eyes began to water and he sniffled, but he refused to cry.

"I...promise that I'll come back here when I'm done seeing everything."

"I'll be so lonely without you, Aloysius."

"Eh?" he asked. It sounded more like "Ah?"

She looked into his eyes and caressed his face.

"I love you, too."

Aloysius gasped, but smiled at her. He nodded.

"Aloysius!!" said a not-so-angry-but-still-impatient voice from the door.

"I must go," he said quickly.

"Aloysius!"

She grabbed his arm as he was about to leave.

He turned and looked at her.

She caressed his face again and closed her eyes, but then withdrew her arm.

"I...wish you good luck on your adventures."

"Thank you."

"Promise you will come back for me."

"I promise."

 

He opened the door, and left to face a bunch of impatient teenagers and one short person.

Solrai sat down in her chair, and looked out the window. She then looked at the wall.

She gasped and her mind suddenly showed the picture of a short, chubby brunette woman...Arkcher's mother, who she had seen at Arkcher's wedding a few years earlier.

If she was Arkcher's mother, and Aloysius was Arkcher's father...

Solrai felt very sick all of a sudden.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

And now for something completely different!

 

"What the heck were you doing in there?" asked the group in unison.

"Um..."

"Oh, you won't tell us. I see how it is." said MK.

Cheesemaster was the only one who wasn't totally pissed. "Well, uh, let's go. Where do you think you want to go next, Aloysius?"

"I heard there's a floating town here. I'd like to visit that."

"That'd be Taynio. It's named after one of our Invisionists!"

"But isn't also the Hamster word for 'Change'?" said Nerd Arkcher.

"Yea. Coincidentally, a few Invisionist names were also Hamster words. Maybe that had to do with Stewart choosing them."

"I still have no idea who this Stewart person is."

"Well, dad..."

"yes?"

"We don't know much about him, either."

Aloysius was surprised.

"All we really know is that he arrived in our rooms uninvited and kidnapped us and took us here, to this place, which compared to Earth doesn't suck." said PMM.

Kat continued. "After taking us here, he stayed for a little while and then left. He hasn't been heard from since."

"Are you doing anything to find him?"

"HamsterWeb, the nerdy one of the three leader hamster-types, is currently doing all he can to find him," explained Kat.

"I see." said Aloysius. "I'm not sure why, but I feel that finding him is an utmost responsibility."

The group was silent as they boarded the plane heading to Taynio.

 

 

[HAY DOG LOVER. You debut next chapter. Do you remember all your lines?]

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysius stared out the window, completely silent for the majority of the trip to Taynio; he was lost in his thoughts, which typically involved Solrai.

He didn't understand why he was so attracted to her; they had very little in common, aside from looks and species. She was a shy, antisocial woman who got angry very easily. Aloysius, on the other hand, was outgoing and rarely got upset. The thought of Lara popped into his head, and he tried to shake her image away-it was impossible. The ring on his finger he had worn for years felt like a handcuff, keeping him from a possible relationship with Solrai. Most wouldn't be hasty about throwing away the ring, given the way Lara treated Aloysius; she was abusive and nasty to him, and had been even worse to Arkcher. She disliked him enough that she sent him to boarding school so she wouldn't deal with him anymore. Despite that, Aloysius felt that he still loved her a little bit, just a little bit, and he felt that the feeling would never leave him.

 

All of a sudden, his mind was shook awake by the sight of a large, rainbow-colored, almost flower-shaped cloud. It was the most beautiful thing he had seen in a long time; he gasped in wonder at it, and his mind became perplexed with it. What kind of people or creatures live here? Why is it floating? among other questions.

 

"It's prettyful, isn't it?!" said Kat, who was sitting next to him. He was sandwiched in between her and MK; Kat had stolen several pillows from the other passengers and had encased herself into her passenger seat. MK, on the other hand, was quietly listening to the in-flight radio, occasionally complaining about how it was getting boring and repetitive. By the way, if you're wondering how Aloysius saw out the window from the middle seat, I'm just as confused as you are.

A voice rang over the speakers: "We're almost there! Be sure to place your trays into the...I'm sure you all know. We'll be landing soon."

 

----------------------------------------

 

The group walked out of the plane and into the Taynio Airport, a place teeming with Invisionists. The others probably knew them; Aloysius knew none of them. He felt very awkward as he got many curious glances; this was a planet where you knew everyone. And no one knew Aloysius. It wasn't common for a tourist to find Invision, as it is in such a tucked-away cranny of the Galaxy that few ever find it. A shame, really.

 

"What's this?!" said Aloysius. The others looked around. "There's a dog here. I don't believe they're allowed in airports are they?"

The others said nothing.

Aloysius got on his knees and started scratching the dog's head. She was a Labrador Retriever with a purple collar; Aloysius examined the name tag.

"Dog Lover...yeah..." he flipped it over to the other side. He looked behind him at Arkcher. "Is there a reason why Elton John's face is carved onto the back of this tag?"

"Because I LOOOOOVE him!!" said the dog. Aloysius gasped and the teenagers giggled at him.

"Oops, did I scare you?" she asked, concerned.

"Uh, no! Just surprised. I should be used to the talking things by now..."

"I'm Dog Lover! Welcome to Taynio!"

"I-I see!"

"Hi, Dog Lover," said the others, one after another.

"Hi, everyone!" she said back. "Come on, let's go out onto the actual place! This airport isn't very interesting at all."

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Once out into the actual city...place..of Tanyio, Aloysius was delighted to see how the ground was rainbow, but normal, green grass grew here and there as well. A normal thing paired with an odd thing-quite good.

He looked ahead and saw what must be the city of Taynio; it looked like a town one would find in a different time period, as there were no large buildings. It appeared there were no social classes in this town, as every house was a medium size house.

"This seems like a peaceful town, where everyone is equal to each other."

"That is indeed what it is!" said Cheesemaster. "Even though Taynio is considered the king of the island, he lives in the same small house like everyone else does. There's only one building bigger then all the other ones-that's the Church that he built."

Aloysius looked and saw there was indeed a building that was only slightly bigger then all the other ones.

"It's not much bigger then the other houses," said Aloysius.

"Taynio doesn't really believe in a big, fancy church here. He just wanted a smaller one."

"You don't sound all that excited."

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm excited."

"No, you're not."

"Am too."

"Fine, then. I believe you for now."

"Yay!"

 

 

---THE REST OF THIS CHAPTER DOES NOT EXIST---

[Mushroom_king]

[using my mom's new MACINTOSH LAPTOP COMPUTER!!!! Man this thing pwns Windows anyday.]

 

The group woke up from a daze and found themselves on the edge of a large forest, which had an enormous, gray mountain behind it.

"Whoa, what happened?" muttered PMM. "I feel like my head was just hit with a Writer's Block!"

"Whatever it was, we're now stranded," said Aloysius, Behind them was the ocean. Some islands stood faintly in the distance, but they had no way of traversing the water.

Cheesemaster pointed to the forest. "Maybe we could ask for some help. I know a nice lady named Kep who lives in the woods. She's sure to help us out."

"And then I'll be able to go meet that wonderful artist who lives in the jungle!" said Aloysius.

The group walked bravely into the woods, looking for Kep.

 

------------------------------------

 

"She ought to be around here somewhere," said Cheesemaster, looking around.

"We'd better hurry up. It's getting dark." said Mushroom_king, who was walking next to Arkcher. "The forest is really scary at night."

"You have nothing to worry about," said Aloysius. "Your friends will protect you, won't they?"

He looked at the others.

"My DS battery died!" said PMM.

"Exiting the forest is super simple, all you do is follow these path turns..." sang Cheesemaster.

"My hair is a mess..." whined Arkcher.

"Aunt Ruthie, Aunt Ruthie! There's a floppy disk taped to my forehead!" said Kat.

 

"Um, maybe not..." murmured Aloysius sighing miserably. His son sure had some strange friends.

He didn't really mind, though; back at the boarding school he had attended, Arkcher had only two real friends, and they were both outcast by the rest of their peers. He recalled what rare conversations he had with his son, about how the other boys were put off by his intelligence. It seemed Arkcher still had strange, outcast friends.

"Hey, Aloysius! Wake up!!" said PMM, slapping Aloysius out of thought.

Aloysius re-focused his attention and gasped when he saw an incredibly beautiful woman standing right in front of him. She was tall and thin, with long, brown hair that had twigs woven into it. She wore a brown dress that had leaves and geometric shapes on it, as well as a slit showing one of her legs. Her outfit had a plunging neckline, and adorning her chest was a tattoo. Aloysius recognized the symbol as being the symbol for the Wood Element.

She had a soft expression and kind eyes. Truly, she was incredible.

"A-are you Kep?!" he stuttered, completely dumbfounded. He was extremely glad Solrai was not with him, for she would be beating him senseless by now.

She nodded and said, "Yes, I am. You seem awful tense." Her voice was music to his ears-soft, not too deep, not too high, and calming.

"Oh, I-It's nothing. I was just thinking about..."

"The children here already explained everything to me."

"FOR THE LAST TIME, LADY!!" screamed PMM, "I'M NOT A LITTLE KID AND I'M NOT SHORT! I'M CONCENTRATED AWESOMENESS!!!"

Kep went on, ignoring him. "You're Arkcher's father, the great inventor. It's an honor to meet you."

Aloysius nodded and stood up straight. "It's an honor to meet you, too."

"You need a way to traverse across the ocean, do you? You want to go to the Mushroom Islands and meet Cheetaspot, and then return to Mount Jazzeh. Is that correct?"

"That is correct."

Kep sighed. "I want to help you, but I'm not able to. I can, however, lead you through the woods to Outside the Wall. I'm sure one of the people there can help you."

PMM gasped, and Gamechamp, Liquid Ninja, and Setsuna (Arkcher, Cheesemaster, and Kat's sanities, respectively) all popped out, and the four shouted "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!"

"There's really no other way for you to find any way to get to the mainland."

"W-what's wrong? Is something wrong?!"

PMM clutched his shirt collar and screamed, "Outside The Wall is home to the Phoenixonian Army! They're evil geniuses! They plan to rule the world! And worst of all, they steal Sanities! Like me!"

"Here on Invision, stealing one's sanity is likened to stealing one's soul." explained Kep.

"Oh my!"

Cheesemaster spoke up. "Kep! Kep! I have an idea!"

"Hm? What is it?"

"I think we could somehow take some sanities and exchange them with the Phoenxian army for transportation AND for Sanity Insurance!"

"But how are we going to do that? Besides, You'd only need to trade for transportation. I have some sanity protection gear you can have."

"Why didn't you say so, BabeHoney?!" said PMM.

"I have it because people frequently come here wishing to visit the Phoenixonian army. Well, it's usually Hamsterkig coming by here, because the leader of the Phoenixonian army works for the king.

"Why would an evil genius work for the King?"

"I wish I knew," said Kep.

Images of the Phoenixonian army started to generate in Aloysius's mind. Were they Bird-People? Could they manipulate fire? Or perhaps, can they manipulate the power of birds? Why were they the Phoenixonian army?

 

"Well, we ought to rest before heading out to the Mountain," said Cheesemaster. "It really isn't that hard of a climb, but we should still rest because it's dangerous."

 

And they did.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

The next morning, Kep had prepared the group a Vegetarian breakfast of...salad. Well, it's plenty abundant in the woods.

 

The sun streaked through gaps in the trees as the group groggily woke and ate their breakfast (which they didn't exactly enjoy). Kep helped the sanities with their Sanity Protection Gear and led them through the enormous forest, until they found themselves on a gray hill. It was the beginning of Outside the Wall.

"I'll see you all soon. Take care." said Kep.

Aloysius stared at her as she left, and when she decided she was far enough away, he stuttered, "She's very lovely, isn't she?"

 

The climb up Outside the Wall, as Cheesemaster had said, was not difficult; it wasn't a steep mountain. However, there was an air of eerieness that unnerved each of them, even PMM. Then again, he was nervous about being kidnapped.

After walking for several hours, the group happened upon several houses. There was one extremely large one, Three medium-sized ones, and many small ones.

"The big one is the base of operations. The three medium ones are the homes for the three leaders. The small ones are for the army's soldiers." explained MK. She knew a lot about Invision's topography, it seemed.

"I'll handle this, OK?" said Kat, being serious for once. "I'm pretty good friends with Grim."

"Who is Grim?"

"The Grim Hamster Lord. The second-in-command of the army."

"I see."

Kat knocked on the door. "It's me, Kat!"

The door creaked open. A narrow eye appeared. A deep, sinister, and slightly sarcastic voice (that had a slightly thick British accent) said, "Don?"

"Yea, it's me. Kat."

"Ok, Boss. Who's with you?"

"The one with the suit, the one married to the one with the suit, the father of the one with the suit, and the one made of Cheese."

"Oh, I see now. Come on in!"

The door opened wider now, and Kat walked in. Aloysius looked nervously at the others, and followed her. The last three went in last.

They all followed Kat down a large hallway. There were no paintings, which struck Aloysius as odd. One would think that a Army headquarters would have paintings of past generals and other important figures.

There was no time to ponder this matter, however, as the group now found themselves in a large, cozy study area. There were many bookshelves filled with thick, leather bound books, some of which were in languages. An unusually large number of them were in Russian. There was an enormous fireplace with several large weapons on top. Front and center on the fireplace mantel was a large gun labeled "Sanity Stealer 5.9" that seemed very treasured and important. There was a red rug and may armchairs, and for some odd reason, there were gigantic perches, as if for a large bird. There were two of those. In the middle of the perches and armchairs was a glass-top coffee table that was enormous and covered with several books on politics, as well as newspapers.

"Go ahead and sit down," said Kat. "The hosts will be here any minute."

The other teens did so without hesitating, and Aloysius sat down, shakily. H wasn't sure what to expect. Did the Phoenixonian leaders have pet Phoenixes, and that was why they had giant perches? A normal human would tell himself, "No, of course not. Phoenixes do not exist." but Aloysius was an elf, and therefore was in no place to be saying that a creature did not exist.

A rush of wind was heard down the hall and Aloysius turned. Just settling on the perches were two large birds, one red and one a light blue. Sitting in the sole leather Chair was a penguin.

"What is going on here?!" shouted Aloysius. One did not normally see a Penguin sitting in an armchair, except in Children's books, but here was one sitting in front of him right now.

The penguin spoke. It was clearly a woman, and she had a very thick British accent. "Who might you be?"

"I-I'm Aloysius Ahrroww. I'm an inventor. Who are you?!"

She lifted her wings up and shut her eyes. She looked rather graceful. "I am Sheena, leader of the Phoenixonian army!"

"Yes. And who are they?" He pointed to the bird.

The blue one spoke. Aloysius recognized his voice as the one Kat spoke with. "The Grim Hamster Lord. I'm Sheena's left-wing man."

The red one spoke. Unlike Sheena and Grim, he had a Russian accent. Aloysius decided that that was the reason there were so many Russian books in the house. "I am Redwing The Phoenix. Apprentice of The Grim Hamster Lord."

"And you three lead the Phoenixonian army?"

"Yes. Back on Earth, we aspired to rule the world. We still want to rule the world, and plan to do it via stealing sanities!"

Grim experimented this by raising his wings and throwing an energy beam at MK. No effect.

"You put on those Sanity Protection Devices again, have you?"

"YOU'LL NEVER HAVE ME!!!!" screamed PMM.

 

---------------------------------

 

The Grim Hamster Lord heaved and put his wings down. "I guess I have no chance of taking your sanities."

"Why are you here, anyhow?" asked Redwing.

"Well," explained Kat, "Aloysius wants to go to The Mushroom Isles to go see Cheetaspot, and then he, Arkcher, and MK need to go home. As do me and Cheesie. So we were wondering if you could lend us a plane?"

Grim and Redwing looked at Sheena. She thought for a moment.

"We will let you borrow one of our planes for the low, low price of one Sanity."

The group looked at each other. It had not crossed their minds that she would want a Sanity as payment.

"Don't tell me you don't have any, now. You have four with you right now."

"We can't give those to you! We need 'em!" said Cheesemaster.

"Hold on," interrupted PMM. "I have something better."

Sheena glared at the sanity. "And what is that?"

"Back in Hamsterdam, at the Town Hall, there's a vast storage unit of spare sanities!"

Redwing's eyes went wide open. Grim was suspicious.

"How do we know you aren't trying to fool us?"

"I saw the room with my own eyes!"

Grim raised an eyebrow. "Eh? How?"

"A rocket fell down a few days ago and three space travelers came out. Horatio had to get them sanities, and he got them from the spare sanity room!"

Arkcher and MK were trying hard not to laugh. The Spare Sanity room did not exist; there was only a box of spare sanities at Town Hall.

"Alright, them." said Sheena. "It's a deal. Now, how do we get into this room?"

"I'll explain it to you."

As he made an elaborate story about a fictional Spare Sanity Room, Grim and Redwing showed the rest of the group the way to the Airplanes.

"Here is the plane you will borrow. I will be back within the next 24 hours to retrieve it."

"Oh my God!!" exclaimed Aloysius when he saw the plane. It was a mint-condition 1940's airplane. "This...this is INCREDIBLE!!!"

"You like it, I see."

Aloysius nodded. "I really get to ride in this?!"

"Yes."

Aloysius gasped. "How is it in such good condition?!"

"The Phoenixonians are a very sophisticated army. We take good care of all equipment and vehicles. We're just cool like that."

Aloysius had a look of joy on his face, but said nothing.

"Go on, climb in. I'll go retrieve your friend."

"Don't try anything sneaky, Grim!!" scolded MK. "Don't try and kidnap him! He'll annoy you to no end!"

"You tell me as if I didn't already know!!"

 

----------------------------------------

 

"So, uh...who the heck is gonna pilot this dang thing?"

The group looked around after piling into the plane. None of them had any real flight knowledge.

"I played Pilotwings!" exclaimed PMM. "And Microsoft Flight Simulator!"

"Oh please, those won't help!"

"Are you sure? Let me try, let me try!"

The group reluctantly agreed to let him pilot the plane.

"Don't wreck it, now," said Aloysius. "This thing is beautiful. And that Phoenix will throw a fit if you wreck it. I'm sure he's extremely proud of the army."

"Oh, he and Sheena, they both are. They both take real good care of everything, as Grim already said." explained Cheesemaster.

"You really do know a lot about this planet's residents, don't you?" said Aloysius.

"That I do. I spent a lot of time researching when I first came here."

The group was suddenly lurched off to the side.

"Watch it!!" shouted Arkcher. "I'm way too awesome to die!!"

"Sorry! I almost hit something!" said PMM sarcastically. He as enjoying himself.

"There might be some slight turbulence up ahead!" he laughed, and he purposely swung the craft left and right.

He looked out the window. "There's the Mushroom Isles!"

"But there's nowhere to land except Hamsterdam."

"Then let's do it!!"

PMM lurched downward and prepared to land.

 

-------------------------------

 

After landing, the group tumbled out of the plane, dazed.

"Ugh..." muttered Kat. "I think I need to upchuck."

Aloysius grabbed his head and laughed. "Ah, the plane is still in fine condition."

"Look, we're gonna need someone like Horatio to take us back home. He's an excellent pilot."

 

After a great deal of walking, the group stumbled upon the edge of the Mushroom jungle. Taynio floated above them, and the city was far off in the distance.

"Well, let's go!" said MK. "I used to live here so I know where Cheetaspot is."

 

MK and PMM lead the group into the thick, humid jungle. Arkcher took off his blazer and rolled up his sleeves, while Cheesemaster removed his sweater, and Kat took off her Trench Coat.

As they walked, Arkcher playfully shoved MK and said, "Do you remember how we first met out here?"

MK giggled as she remembered it. It was five years ago, when they had first come to Invision. MK had only lived there for about 3 months.

 

"I'm going to fall!" MK said, frightened. She had climbed a large tree in the Mushroom Jungle and, like they do in most stories, a branch beneath her had broken. She had caught hold of the tree's wide trunk, but she was now slipping.

She lost her grip and tumbled down, landing on something warm. She opened her eyes to see...a person! A person was beneath her. She gasped and quickly sat up. The strange person lifted his head, shook his hair, and looked up at her. MK gasped again, and realizing she had fallen on someone who was not of the same gender, she quickly got up. The stranger followed suite.

He was wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a black tie, gray slacks, and he had a black blazer in his hand. He took a compact mirror out of his breast pocket and examined himself.

"Oh, NO!" he shouted.

"What's wrong?!" said MK.

"My hair! It's RUINED!!"

MK raised an eyebrow. "Your...hair?" She looked and noticed he had beautiful, blond hair that was longer then any girl's hair she had ever seen. She thought he must be an elf, and her suspicions were confirmed when she saw his ears. But no matter. He was clearly upset.

"Mah hair! MAH HAAAAAAIIIIIRRRR!"

"I-I'm sorry! I-I know!"

"What?"

"There's a big waterfall by my house. You can wash your hair there."

"I can?"

"Yea!"

He smiled at her. "That's awesome."

The two then exchanged names and went off towards aforementioned waterfall."

 

"I still don't understand why I had to wash my hair in the waterfall."

"For fanservice, of course." said Cheesemaster.

Arkcher scowled at him and was about to say something, but was interrupted by MK announcing, "We're here! Cheetaspot's studio."

 

 

 

 

 

 

[did I portray Kat's personality realistically?]

[Mushroom_king]

"Well, it's about time! I would have visited this a long time ago if I knew about all the other crazy adventures I was going to have here!" said Aloysius as he ran towards the door.

He knocked on the door, and was surprised when he heard several shouts from inside.

"...no, please, don't do that! It's very fragile..."

"But I have to have this for my news story!..."

"No, please, stop it!..."

 

"It appears we've come at a bad time," murmured Aloysius.

Suddenly, the door flew open. A young man with a black sweater and a video camera in hand tumbled to the ground. A large Cheetah stood in the doorway.

"I told you, please be more careful around my art!" and with that the door shut.

Aloysius got on his knees over the person on the ground. "Say, are you alright? What happened?"

The stranger opened his eyes and groaned. He looked at Aloysius for a moment, and within moments he was on his feet with his camera rolling.

"Oh, Boy, it's someone I've never met before! That doesn't happen very often here! Tell us your name!"

Aloysius was shocked, but he managed to get his name out.

"You mean, the famous inventor?!"

He took his camera down from his face and stared in awe at Aloysius. He then glomped him.

"Aaaaaahhhh! This is soooooo much better then filming Cheetaspot's techniques! It's a universal Celebrity! I've only gotten to film celebrities who are know on a few planets, but you, my friend, are known EVERYWHERE!!!!"

"I'm flattered," said Aloysius, "But who are you?!"

"I didn't tell you my name?! That's awful! I usually say it first. I'm usually not this excited."

He posed with his video camera. "My name is..."

After his time on Invision, Aloysius expected something unusual for the name.

"....Sean!!"

Aloysius fell on the ground. He did NOT expect that.

"But everyone just calls me "Wannabe Film Maker". I like that name better. It's very unusual!"

That's more like it, thought Aloysius.

"So, uh, WannabeFilmMaker...you like videotaping people?"

"I sure do. I'm enrolled in an online art school. I wanted to videotape some of Cheetaspot's techniques because I really like her stuff!"

"I came out here to see it. But I appear to have come at a bad time."

"Oh, meeting her is hard. She's always busy. Plus she's probably angry or something at me."

He turned and saw the rest of the group, who were angry at their lack of page time.

"Oh, hi guys. Sorry, I didn't notice you. But anyhow!" He picked his camera back up and posed with it over his eye. "I want to interview you, Aloysius Apollo Ahrroww!"

Aloysius nervously tugged at his collar. "Well, uh, you see, I'm-I'm very lenient on interviews. I'm always afraid I'll say something I'll regret. Um, is that thing rolling?!"

"It sure is!"

"Eh?!" he said, surprised.

"Alright, cut it out!" said PMM, wearing a pair of shades. "That's enough!" He lurched into the camera and stopped the filming.

"Awwww." said Wannabe Film Maker, disappointed.

"Well, um...it looks like I won't be meeting Cheetaspot yet. But I have met you, and you're an interesting young man."

WBFM blushed. "Am I now?! I never thought of myself as interesting. I have, however, filmed and interviewed several VERY interesting people here on Invision. They get posted on The Network!"

"What's that?"

"A cooler version of television." said MK.

"Invisionists make stuff, it gets posted there. But it's not like normal TV. You can choose what you watch, so it's more like the internet." explained Kat. "Plus, the most awesome shows from all over the Universe air on it. Even the ones that got cancelled years ago!"

"...And my stuff that I tape shows up there sometimes!" said WannabeFilmeMaker.

Aloysius sighed. "Well...I guess I can just head home."

"Leaving already?" said WBFM. "Oh....I guess I'll see you later, then. I hope you're ready next time!"

 

------------------------------------

 

After dropping Kat and Cheesemaster off at their respective homes, the other four headed back to Mount Jazzeh.

"I didn't meet everyone on Invision, did I?"

"Certainly not," said PMM. "Just a couple of 'em."

"Well, hopefully, someday, I will know them all."

 

And with that, their plane landed back on Mount Jazzeh, and the foursome headed for home.

 

-END OF STORY ONE-

 

 

[Wannabefilmmaker's debut. I probably got his personality wrong.

 

 

Anyway, this is the end of the first story. I'll be starting Character Stories next. First up is Kat's story, and then Cheesemaster's Story.]

[Mushroom_king]

"What the balls is THIS mess?" thought MK as she gazed at the Pagoda that stood where Kat's house once did.

Where Kat's headquarters (her house) had once stood was now an Asian Cuisine place called Fried Dragon Palace.

"Well, I might as well go in and see what happened."

She walked through the sliding doors and into the establishment. Standing at the counter was...Kat!

"Kat! What happ-"

"Shhhh. Come on in heeeeere."

Kat grabbed MK's wrist and dragged her to the KatCave, a hidden underground chamber where Kat usually pretended to be a superhero with her sanity, Setsuna.

She also held her secret meetings there.

"What's going on? Why is this an Asian food place now?"

"I'll explain later. During the meeting."

"Alright, I believe you." said MK.

 

-------------------------------

 

Kat and MK finally arrived at the meeting area. As they walked through the doors, A Fedora appeared over Kat's head. Sitting at the table was Hoops, Top_Banana, The Grim Hamster Lord, Toto, Arkcher, Glowurm, and Mega Wolf. They all had Fedoras on. Kat sat down and so did MK.

"Boss!" said Grim. "We gotta start gettin' protection money for Da Kat Mafia!"

Kat adjusted her Fedora, put her hands together in a formal fashion, and cleared her throat.

"Welcome, everyone, to the 4Tst meeting of da Kat Mafia!" "Now, I sent you all a 30-Gig attachment about why this place is a Chinese Food Place now."

"Thirty Gigs?!" said MK and Arkcher in unison. "No wonder our computer exploded into a firey ball visible from Space!!"

"As the attachment said, The Spy found us out and she's on to us now! So I disguised us and now we have to serve Chinese food as well as do Mafia stuff."

The group groaned.

"Will we get payed?!" asked Toto impatiently.

"Maybe."

All of a sudden, the door opened. The group gasped, but then sighed in relief when they saw it was just the Australian Fox, Vixen. She wore a plaid skirt and black blouse, and had a large ribbon in her brown hair.

"Oh, it's just you. What do you want?"

"Uh, well, I just wanted to join your Mafia. I heard that I get free candy."

"Oh, yes! Yea, you do get Free Candy. Let's just show you this kick-awesome intro video we made."

"Uh, Kat..." said Toto.

"Oh, yeah. We sold da intro video for protection money. And for Fedoras."

After initiating Vixen into the mafia, Kat looked at her and said, "Where's the Five Dollars?"

"Five Dollars? For what?"

"The candy."

"I thought it was free!"

"No, it's not. Didn't you read the useless legal crap that no one reads?"

"No!"

Suddenly, the conversation ended when a Fedora materialized over Vixen's head.

"Uh, anyway. On to business. MK, did your Fedora ever show up?"

"Sure did, Boss."

"I thought it might. I had a little talk with the elves that work in the fedora department. Isn't that right, Arkcher?"

Arkcher nodded and whimpered.

"Anyway! Back to business. Our Last Pancake Lunch was so successful, we raised enough money to pay for our next Pancake Lunch!

"BREAKFAAAAAAST!" said Arkcher.

"And now, Grim, please tell us Da Mafia News."

Grim cleared his throat.

"Da Mafia News;

Da Triads have been encroachin' on our territroy. Da boss has organised a hit 'n run on da triad leader. I and anudder member will drive a Range Rover on top of a multi-storey car park and shoot da leader with a poison dart supplied by our contact in Venezuala. Dey will be expecting da South American conclave drug squad dropping off a batch of class A, but we will drive up and shoot da leader, before legging it. In addition we will be getting a bonus if we take him out and start a gang war between da Conclave thugs and da Triads. Apparently its good buissness for da armaments trade he does. Any volunteers?"

"Assemble the Australian Mammals, Vixen!" said Kat.

Vixen pulled out a big crate. "I got a big crate of Mammals right here! I brought it in case you might need it!"

"Remember, we need to be secretive! The Spy is on to us, as I explained!"

There was several mumblings among members about this matter, until Kat spoke up.

"Now, in order to raise more funds so we ca extend the Pancake lunch into a Pancake and Waffles lunch, I'm making a contest: Whoever can design me the siffyest Fedora, WINS!!"

"Uh...How will that raise funds?"

"I dunno. Buying from art stores. Stealing. Stuff like that."

"Speaking of which, Boss..." said Glow, "I think we should get Da Teen Silver Eye Fox into our Mafia. She's a real good thief and assassin. So she'd be awesome in it, too!"

"Alright! Who wants to go seek out Da Teen Silver Eye Fox ad get her to join da Kat Mafia?"

"Me!" said a voice. The group turned to see a White Hamster with large, green eyes, a White Trench Coat adorned with hearts, and white antennae. It was Hamster Lover.

"Hamster Lover! I thought you were only available for a limited time! Plus, I still have to get you your award!"

All of a sudden, a beam of Heavenly Light appeared and an Award descended down upon Hamster Lover.

"Oooh, Special Effects."

Arkcher interrupted the effects. "Hey, Boss! Since I'm in Da Mafia, can I go to the Women's Lingerie Department and tell the world I'm in Da Mafia?"

"You could do that, but as I've said at least 3 times already, The Spy is onto us!"

"Alright. I'll say it in an Arnold Swartzenegger voice when I do it.

"You should do it in a Darth Vader voice," suggested Glowurm.

Suddenly, a feral Kangaroo broke out of Vixen's Box of Mammals.

[Mushroom_king]

The group sat calmly as the Kangaroo escaped.

"I dubbed him 'The Get-Away Kangaroo'," said Kat. "Anyway, I have another plan.

You know those Chips Ahoy commercials that are on TV with the singing cookies? They're really annoying and I don't want to eat the cookies so much as maul them. I've got connections to somebody that has a car with a sun roof and a Gatling gun. We're gonna need somebody to place a tracking device on the cookies' vehicle, somebody to drive the car while I man the gun, somebody to watch the target's course on a laptop in a hidden location and give is a signal when the cookies are somewhere secluded and I can take them down, and somebody to keep watch for the person on the laptop in case the fuzz figures us out.

 

Any volunteers?"

 

"I have a Magic Bus we could use," suggested Kat.

"I call dibs on Da Gunner's Seat," said Cheesemaster, who suddenly appeared. "I like Shootin' da Cookies."

"No, I'll be tha one bustin' the Caps. I'll set you up in Sniper Position should we need reinforcements. And MK, I already got da Transportation. A bus isn't Ninja enough. We wouldn't be able to sneak up on them."

"I'd like to volunteer, but I glow, which might be a problem..." said Glowurm.

Kat decided to spin around in her spinny chair of doom. "And also, yeah, we've got some collections to take care of. Namely the Geiko cavemen and all those stories on my computer that I haven't done anything with in years that are paying us to keep me from deleting them. Grim and Cheesey, get on that. I've got some business to take care of with this here counter corner that keeps stabbing me and hitting me in the elbow..."

"So we have to get rid of both Cookies and Cavemen?"

"Why not just get da Cookies and Cavemen to join Da Mafia?"

"They're way to annoying/whiny to join the Mafia."

Arkcher raised his hand. "I have an extremely good idea, boss!"

The rest were silent. "Yeeess, Arkcher?"

He took out a piece of paper and started drawing on it. "Here is an idea for getting rid of enemies. We draw some stick figures with AK-47's and fax them to our enemies. Da Stick Figures will know what to do."

"But, uh, we don't have a Fax Machine."

The plan was interrupted by Grim. "Uh, Boss, there's some people wanting Chinese food out there. Better go serve them."

"Oh Noes! Dispatch the robots!"

Grim did so and the plan continued.

"Now! Arkcher, you get to Faxin'! The rest of us will get around to gettin' rid of dose Cookies!"

"Yay!"

 

----------------------------------

 

That night, Kat, Cheesemaster, Arkcher, and MK readied their AK-47's and drove an incredibly small car over to the Cookie's hideout. Which was on Invision for some reason.

"Alright," whispered Kat, "I've got my swordchucks and my Nunchuck gun, and my claymore. MK has her magic powers, and Cheesie has his sniper. Ready?"

Kat aimed her Nunchuck gun at the window of the Cookie's hideout. Suddenly, the windows of the extremely small car (ESC) broke, and the cookies were inside the car! A war ensued! Kat was shocked! SHOCKED!!!!!!

"Take this!" said a Cookie as he stuffed Cheesemaster's sniper full of Gummy Bears.

"Hah! you activated its special ability! GUMMY CANNON!!!!! When loaded with gummy bears, it turns into an unstoppable force, casting ominous feelings of total domination over its targets as it totally

annihilates the adversary!"

"Oh No!"

"TAKE THIS!" shouted MK as she unleashed a duel Sound-Technology spell with her sanity. "SOUND VOYAGE!!"

"I WILL DESTROY THEM ALL WITH MY SPATULA!!" said Arkcher. "And mah special Archery skills! I call it..Arkchery!"

"That's real creative," muttered Cheesemaster.

 

 

And in the end the cookies got pwned. That was one mission that the Kat Mafia succeeded in. But they still had to get rid of the Cavemen and clear their record with The Spy!

[Mushroom_king]

The day after defeating the cookies, The Kat Mafia was celebrating their victory with Jigs and food from Planet Horatio, but the party was interrupted by....The Spy!!

The whole group gasped. "We've been found out!" screamed Kat.

"You set me up!" shouted MK. "You set me up! Paper Mario Master, tell 'em they set you up."

"You're all under arrest for killing my box of cookies. Come with me." said The Spy.

 

---------------------------------------

 

The group was being questioned at the Hamsterdam Polic Headquarters. Horatio was trying to appeal to The Spy, trying to get her to realize that the Kat Mafia did nothing wrong. It wasn't working as well as he wanted it to.

"Please, The Spy, just let them go. They're just having fun."

But The Spy was indifferent. Her stance was not changing.

Cheesemaster smirked at the others. "I have an idea."

He whipped off his Blue Sweater, put on a newsboy cap, got on the ground, and started talking in a barely understandable English accent.

"Please, won't you let us go, Tha Spy?"

He looked at her with big, sad eyes. She peered from underneath her sunglasses and sighed. "Well, you've convinced me. I'll let you kids go under one condition."

Kat gasped. "Not community service!"

The thought of such a thing made The Grim Hamster Lord cringe and shiver. He wouldn't be able to stand it.

"No, no. I realize that degenerates such as yourselves can't stand such a thing. Rather, I will have to have you buy me boxes of Cookies for the next year.

The group groaned, but hey. It was better than Community Service.

"It was also better than this horrible ending!" muttered PMM.

 

-FOOTAGE MISSING-

 

 

Cheesemaster's story

 

Cheesemaster hopped on his priceless Bicycle and made his way towards Planet Horatio, where he was meeting his friends that day, to show them something. He couldn't wait.

Yea, right, priceless. The thing was completely worthless, but that was what made it awesome. The metal parts of it were painted yellow with a cheese pattern. It was a big prank his friends had played. Or, more realistically, PMM had. The bike had a rack for holding, say, a box of flowers, a basket and horn in front, a flag on the back, and no bike is complete without the worthless baseball card in the spokes.

"Here we are," said Cheesemaster. He wondered what the rest of the group would think. Would they like it? What new and uncreative insult would PMM throw at him this time?

He heaved, adjusted his glasses, chained his bike to the bike rack, and walked in. Not like anyone would steal his bike.

The other Invisionists who were there glanced up at him, but didn't seem to care much. He walked over to a booth, where Aloysius, Arkcher, MK, and PMM were seated and Kat was standing up, taking orders. They turned and looked at him.

"So, uh...What do you guys think of my new outfit?"

They glanced him up, down, and up again. The familiar Blue Sweater they had all grown to know and make fun of was still there, but it was being overshadowed but a Brown Blazer, a Brown newsboy cap, brown knee-length shorts, brown knee-length socks, and black dress shoes.

The other four blinked.

"Um...Ok...?" said Arkcher.

"It's the lovechild of Angus Young and Robert Plant!" sighed MK. (is that appropriate?)

"This is perfect timing on my part. I was just about to go and get a newspaper to go with my breakfast." said Aloysius cheerfully.

"'Allo, sihr! I'd loike sam moh Chocolate please!" mocked PMM.

"Um...Thanks?"

"Why the balls are you wearing that, anyhow?"

"Well, you see, It appears I lost a bet with a certain Cheese Woman, and um...now I'm actually selling Newspapers on the corner back at the Port of Cheese. She told me I had to wear this."

"I'm sorry." said PMM.

"Aren't you going to join us?"

"As much as I'd love to, I really do have to get back home. I have stuff to be doing."

"Gee, that's rough." said Kat finally. "I had plans to steal your hat or something."

"That's great. Look, I have to get going. Come visit me sometime, 'kay?"

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Back in the Port of Cheese, Cheese Woman was all over Cheesemaster.

"Ohhhhh, you are just tooooooo cuuuuuuuuuute in that outfit! I'm soooo glad I picked it out for you! Everyone will love you!!"

Cheesemaster muffled something, but you couldn't make out what he said as he was busy being smothered by Cheese Woman's unnecessarily ruffly dress.

She finally heaved and let go of him. "But You're busy so I'll let you go. But before I leave..."

She tossed him .100 H$ (50 cents American money.), and grabbed a paper from him. She looked at him sympathetically and hugged him. "Have a good day, Cheesie."

He looked at the money and put it in his pocket. She'd never acted so...calm before. But no matter. He had things to do.

Before he knew it, hordes of people walked by. Some of them would buy a paper from him, some didn't, but all of a sudden...

"Cheesie! Is that you? Nice outfit!"

He turned to see Dawn, laughing and waving. Next to her was Sterling, her rabbit in hand. She was smiling for a change. Behind them was Jakob Rabbitt, who didn't look happy at all, and James, who was smiling at him.

Dawn bounced on her toes and begged James for some money to buy a paper.

James reached in his pocket and was about to hand over some money to her, but Jakob slapped his hand. He scowled and said something, but Cheesemaster couldn't hear what it was. James snapped back at him, shoved him, and handed Dawn the money.

Dawn and Sterling ran over to him.

"Hi, Cheesie!"

"Hi, Dawn. Hi, Sterling! How are you today?"

"I'm good, Mr. Cheesemaster. How are you? I see you're selling Papers now. Jakob doesn't seem to like it..."

"I saw," he said, handing a paper to Dawn.

"Hey, Cheesie?"

"Yea?"

"You wanna hang out sometime?"

"Maybe. I'm really busy, but I think I can."

"Ok! I'll see you later!"

"Could you come over to play sometime?" asked Sterling.

Cheesemaster grinned at her. "I hope so."

"Bye, Cheesie!"

When she got back over to the adults, Jakob scowled at her. "I don't see why you choose to hang out with someone like that."

"There's nothing wrong with him!" said Dawn, upset.

"You mean, aside from his being made of Mold?"

"Don't call him that!"

"Why not? It's true. Cheese is nothing but a mold."

"Shut up!"

"Hmph," he muttered. James scolded him, as always, and they moved on.

[Mushroom_king]

The next day, after having sold all but one newspaper, Cheesemaster decided to visit the Rabbitt manor to play with Sterling.

He walked up the well-kept steps of the mansion and knocked on the door. He was greeted by Jakob Rabbitt's cold stare. "What is it?"

"It's the Paper Boy. You got .500 H$?"

"No. Please leave."

"I'm sure .500H$ is as common as oxygen for you."

"What are you trying to say?!"

"I'm saying you have a lot of money on hand. I mean, there's a lawyer as well as a prosecutor in the household. That must bring in a lot of money."

Jakob scowled at him again. "I told you to leave. Please don't make me use force."

"I came to play with Sterling."

Jakob growled, but reluctantly let him inside anyway.

 

----------------------------------

 

The Rabbitt manor had not changed one bit since Cheesemaster had last been there; it was still quiet and grey. He noticed something, however; in the room, there was a piano that had previously not been there before, and the tables were now covered in flowers. It was an improvement, but the house was still very sad to him.

Cheesemaster walked into the dining room. The fireplace was lit, as the cold months were starting; he noticed a large Coat-Of-Arms over the fireplace. There was a long, diagonal tube that had a thorny vine spiraling around it. Above the line was a Rabbit, a Peach, and a stylized J; Below it was a dragon.

"That's our Family crest!" said a voice from behind him; it was Dawn. Cheesemaster gasped and she laughed. "Sterling is waiting for you in her room."

"About that..." said Jakob, "I'm not sure you're such a good influence on her."

"What are you talking about?!" said Cheesemaster and Dawn simultaniously. "He's been a great influence on her! She hasn't been this happy since the day she was born!"

"I don't want Sterling to be around the likes of you!!" he said, glaring at Cheesemaster.

"What's wrong with me?!"

"Oh for God's sake!!" yelled Jakob. "You're made of MOLD!!!"

"DON'T CALL ME A MOLD!!"

"Not only are you a mold, but you're a Newsie!!! You stand on the corner and shout the headlines and beg people for money!! It's awful, it really is!"

The lights suddenly flickered. "Stop making fun of him," said a voice. It was Sterling.

"Sterling..."

"Mr. Cheesemaster...are you going to come play with me today?"

"I-Of course I am, Sterling. I came just to play with you."

"Sterling!!" said Jakob, "Are you sure you want to be around someone like that?!"

"There's nothing wrong with him, Jakob."

"S-Sterling..."

"Come on, Mr. Cheesemaster."

 

------------------------------------

 

When they got up to Sterling's room, Cheesemaster noticed a Plushie of himself on the shelf-a doll that was sold at the Red Market. It really was a cute doll, with it's stitchy mouth and button eyes and lack of a nose. He noticed something wrong, though; the dolls sold at The Red Market still had his Blue Sweater. This doll had the brown blazer and his cap.

"Julia made me a coat and hat for my Cheesemaster Dolly!"

"That's cute! Do you play with it?"

Cheesemaster was a bit scared. He hoped that Sterling didn't play with the toy in the same way she played with her favorite stuffed rabbit, and by play I mean cut off its head.

"Oh, no. I don't play with my Cheesemaster dolly. Jakob doesn't let me. I begged him for months to buy it for me, and Dawn had to use her allowance to buy it for me."

"That was nice of her."

"Yep! I feel a lot better these days. I owe it to you." Her smile faded away. "No one ever plays with me very much. I usually play by myself, or with Dawn. No one comes to visit us. People were always scared by me. But you weren't! You played with me and you were nice to me! It made me so happy."

Cheesemaster simply smiled. He couldn't really find any words.

"Well, let's get started. You can put your coat and hat up."

"No, I'll keep them on. I'm cold."

"Alright. That's fine."

The two sat down and Sterling reached into her toybox. She still had her disturbing toys, but she had also acquired some more, ahem, sane toys. She'd acquired some more plushies, and of course more rabbits.

"Let's Play, Mister Cheesemaster!" She laughed and the Physics began to warp. Cheesemaster gasped and became extremely frightened.

[Mushroom_king]

<b>I went on a reading rampage for an hour and a half. I then played StarTropics. I then watched One Piece.</b>

 

The physics in the room began to shift horribly. Sterling's laughter soon faded to moans. She grabbed her chest and fell to the ground. "Mr. Cheesemaster..." she looked up at him. "They're-They're talking to me again."

"Who are?!"

Sterling groaned and rolled over on the floor. The room, in a flash, was back to normal.

"Sterling!!"

"My...sister...Jul...Julia..."

"What about Julia?!"

"Julia...they...told me...please...go check on her..."

"STERLING!!!"

She rolled over again. "I'm ok. Just go check on my sister. Her...room is just...at the end of the corridor."

 

----------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster ran as quickly as he possibly could down the halls of the Rabbitt Manor, past the paintings of past Rabbitts, past the bleak, grey walls, until he reached the end of the corridor. He stopped to catch his breath, and then he flung open the enormous doors.

He looked inside and saw Julia on the ground, with Jakob kneeling over her. Julia was twitching. She looked...she looked almost possessed.

"Julia! JULIA!!! SPEAK TO ME!!!"

Cheesemaster was shocked, as he had never seen Jakob display any emotion aside from anger, hate, shame, and jealousy. He had never been able to picture the man as being concerned for anyone else.

"Jul...what are you doing here, Newsie?!"

Cheesemaster lightly gasped, and explained, "Sterling told me to come here."

"Well, go back to her!! I can deal with this on my own!!"

Cheesemaster gasped again, but said nothing.

"I told you to get out!!"

"She's possessed," came a flat, unknown voice. It belonged to Dawn.

She stepped into the room. Her eyes were obscured by her bangs, and she was frowning.

"Excuse me?!" said Jakob. "Did you say Julia is possessed?!"

Dawn nodded.

Jakob got up. He slammed his cane on the floor, and glared at Dawn. "And would you care to explain how you know this, girl?"

Dawn spoke slowly. "I can't explain it. I just know it."

She rose her head. "Jakob...have you never noticed it before now?"

Jakob gasped. "Noticed...noticed what?"

"The way the spirits residing in this house have been possessing Julia as long as I can remember."

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting, woman?!"

"The way she flips between being outgoing to being cold and faraway."

"I thought she suffered from, say, Multiple Personalities." mumbled Cheesemaster.

He eyes grew wide and she pointed accusingly at him. "That...is the result of being a mere decoy for spirits!"

"Isn't this part supposed to be my story?" mumbled Cheesemaster, turning around. "I'm outta here!"

 

------------------------------------

 

Three days had passed since the incident over at The Rabbitt Manor. Cheesemaster hadn't spoken with Dawn nor Sterling since then, and life had gone back to normal.

 

It had been a long day, and Cheesemaster was using the money he had gathered throughout the day to buy a new stack of newspapers for the next day. He glanced at the headlines.

Famous musician and Judge Toto goes out for a cup of coffee! shouted the headline. Boring. It'd been like that for a while now. He sighed.

"I'll feel like an idiot shouting that tomorrow," he groaned, and then he sighed.

Suddenly, a light went on. An idea had struck him.

"I've got it! I've got a much better headline then this...and it's not even made-up, either, like I usually do!"

And, without second thought of the consequences, Cheesemaster put his money away and sprinted towards the newspaper printing peoples.

 

------------------------------------

 

"Extra, extra! Read all about it! Miss Julia Rabbitt haunted and possessed by spirits of The Rabbitt Manor! And in unrelated news, Toto went out for a cup of coffee!"

People crowded around Cheesemaster, trying to get their own copy of this new and interesting headline. There hadn't been such a sensational story ever since the news of TheBreakfastMonkey's arrival had been printed. Cheesemaster was proud of himself.

Way to go, Cheesemaster-sama!</i> He thought to himself. <i>You really are a genius! Way to be in the right place at the right time to get a great new story!

The newspapers had sold out within the span of an hour.

Cheesemaster walked happily to go buy more papers, humming to himself, when he bumped into Dawn. Her eyes were red-rimmed as though she'd been crying.

"Dawn?"

She sniffled. Cheesemaster glanced and saw she was reading the paper; specifically, the article on her older sister. She wiped her eyes and murmured, "Cheesie..."

"Oh, n...OH, NO!!! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?!"

 

 

 

 

[oh noes!]

 

 

[i love how Cheesemaster refers to himself as "Great Cheesemaster" when he's thinking.]

 

[What I don't like is how I portrayed him here. He seems really arrogant when he's not. D=]

[Mushroom_king]

[Yay, violence!]

 

Dawn lifted her head from the paper and looked at Cheesemaster. Tears streamed down her pale face. He had never seen her this upset.

"Cheesie...how could you?!"

"Dawn-"

"I don't like it when people talk about my family behind my back!! Even if it was Jakob!!"

"Dawn-!"

"How'd you feel if I did that to you!"

"Dawn, you know that isn't-"

She continued sobbing. "You should have asked me before putting this in the paper! I wouldn't have cared about this getting printed if you had asked first!!"

"How do you know it was my choice to print it?!"

"You helped them get information! You should have asked me first before allowing them to print this!!"

"Dawn, I'm sorry!"

She wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "That isn't good enough!!"

She ran off, but once she was a few feet away, she stopped, rolled up her paper, and threw it at Cheesemaster.

"NEWSIE!!!!" she screamed, and she ran off.

"Dawn..."

Cheesemaster grumbled for a moment before bursting into tears as well. He ran off in the opposite direction, only to be stopped by none other then Cheese Woman.

"Cheesie, it's so nice to-what's wrong?!"

"I...the newspaper printed something about Dawn's family without her permission and she's upset. I...I feel...I feel like so horrible."

He started crying again and Cheese Woman hugged him.

"There, there. It'll be alright." she said, comforting him.

"Dawn and her family must hate me even more than they already do...Oh, what does little Sterling think of me? She must think of me as a complete jerk. And I don't even want to know what Jakob thinks of me. Now he has a real reason to hate me."

"Cheesie...it'll all be alright. Just don't worry so much about it."

He wiped his eyes. "I guess you're right. The most I can do is go and apologize to her family. But I'm scared."

"I'll go with you."

"Would you really do that, Cheese Woman?"

She nodded. Her eyes were full of compassion, and her smile was sincere. "Yes. Let's go."

 

-----------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster was sweating up a storm when he knocked on the door of the Rabbitt Manor.

"Oh, geez...I'm too nervous." Cheese Woman handed him a handkerchief and he wiped it over his face. He then took off his glasses and wiped down the bridge, as they kept slipping.

"I don't know if I can do this."

"You have to, Cheesie." she said sincerely.

The door opened. He expected Jakob yelling at him, but it was James. He looked surprised, and then said,

"Oh. It's you."

Cheesemaster groaned. Hopefully James didn't hate him now, too.

"I-I came to apologize."

"To who? Julia and Dawn?"

"No, to everyone. For what was in the paper."

"It's not your fault."

He looked up. "Eh?"

"You have no control over what's printed in the paper."

Cheesemaster breathed a sigh of relief. "You really think so?"

"Yes. But..."

"But what?"

"I think it'd be suicide to come in here. Jakob is furious."

Cheesemaster gulped. Just as he had thought.

"James, who is at the door?" came the Prosecutor's voice.

"Oh No!!" stammered Cheesemaster. His eyes grew wide with fear as Jakob's face appeared in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?!" he shouted. He lunged for Cheesemaster's collar, but Cheese Woman wrapped her arms around him and pulled him away.

"Stop!!" she cried, "Don't hurt him!!"

"Jakob, it's not the boy's fault that the newspaper printed that about Julia," James said, restraining his brother from attacking Cheesemaster.

"What are you even doing on my property, Boy?! I have reason to file a restraining order on you!!"

"For what reason?!" shouted Cheesemaster, lunging out to attack him only to be grabbed by Cheese Woman. "Cheesie, this won't be solved by you two going at each other!!"

He ignored her. "Can't you realize this ISN'T MY FAULT?!"

"SHUT UP, NEWSIE!!!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!!!!"

"WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ME, YOU ENORMOUS BLOCK OF MOLD?!"

"ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?!"

"I SURE AM!!"

Cheesemaster roared and broke from Cheese Woman's grasp and tumbled onto Jakob, freeing him from Jame's grasp. Both their hats fell on the ground and the fight was on.

James and Cheese Woman could only look on in horror, trying to get the two of them to stop.

"You called me a Newsie and a block of mold, AND you called me Fat!!! I'M NOT FAT!!!"

Jakob threw a punch that Cheesemaster dodged. "You deserve it for having allowed such a story about my wife to go through!!!"

"I DID NOTHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH THAT STORY!!"

Jakob continued throwing punches as the two exchanged vulgarities, until Jakob suddenly threw a punch that managed to hit Cheesemaster in...the eye. The force of the punch managed to break the lens of his glasses.

His face suddenly went from one of boiling rage to one of blank confusion. The shards of glass tumbled out onto Jakob's chest. Cheesemaster loosened his grip on Jakob's coat. His mouth and eyes twitched.

"Oh, no..." whispered Cheese Woman and James in unison.

The look of rage finally returned to Cheesemaster's face. He clutched Jakob's throat and held it an inch from his own face.

"AND ON TOP OF IT ALL, YOU BROKE MY GLASSES?!"

A look of incredible fear was in Jakob's face. His eyes had grown wide. He had stupidly forgotten how angry the boy got when you broke his glasses, and once you had done so, you would have to be submitted to-

"YOU'RE ASKING TO BE SUBMITTED TO MY BLIND RAGE!!!!"

"Please, Cheesie!! Please, don't!!"

He ignored her and withdrew his katana, and was about to strike Jakob, but she managed to lunge out and grab him before he did so.

"Cheesie!!" she stammered. "Please, calm down!!!"

Jakob picked up his hat, brushed dust off his clothes, and muttered a muffled "Hmph."

James breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad no one was injured."

Jakob grunted a few times, and scowled at Cheesemaster. "This is, what, the 3rd time he's tried to kill me?!"

"You tried to kill him, too!!" cried James.

"Hmph. It was in self-defense."

"So was I!!" said Cheesemaster. "It wasn't even my fault that they printed that story in the paper, yet you are blaming me!! You have problems, my good sir!"

 

[lol @ Cheesemaster saying "Good sir".]

 

[also lol at Cheesemaster owning Jakob for like the 3rd time. XD]

[Mushroom_king]

Dawn's story

 

It has been 666 years since that day...

666, the number of The Beast.

On that very day, both Alliances will rise up and seek their new leader...

666 years ago, The Dead Alliance was formed and sought Heaven, H---, and The Universe as well...

66 years ago, The Grey Evidence was formed and discovered, and The Freebird Alliance, the very opposite of The Dead Alliance, was formed...both alliances fought and sought destruction of The Other...

But on this day, when the very Dawn rises, Both Alliances will come together under their new leader...

 

With Wings spread, the New Commander's heart will be judged by it's deeds and one of the two alliances shall be given to them, and they will be charged with the task of fulfilling that Alliance's desires and destroying the other...

 

No matter how it turned out, The Bloody Ripper will rise up, and it's awesome powers given to the Commander...and the Commander will be given the privilege of doing whatever they wish with those powers...

 

Only Fate itself knows how this Day will come to pass and how The new Commander shall use their incredible powers...

 

How shall this all turn out to be?

It is all written in...

The Monster Book!

 

Dare To Dawn...

Dare to Dawn.

Dawn...

Dawn...

 

Dawn awoke from her nightmare. She had been having the same nightmare for the past month. At first she shrugged it off, but if video games had taught her anything, it was that recurring nightmares always meant something and demanded seriousness.

The Dark, Threatening voice in the dream was always accompanied by images that seemed incredibly familiar: Monsters and Dragons. Much to her family's delight, Dawn was a talented artist. Much to their dismay, she seemed only intent on drawing monsters, faeries, and dragons. These same monsters were in the nightmares.

Dawn half-smiled as she flipped through her sketchbook. Were these monsters she invented actually real? And if the nightmare was real, would she be controlling all these monsters?

She giggled at the though. It made her excited. But she was still scared.

"I'd love to be able to control and play with my cute little dragons!"

The door suddenly cracked open. It was none other than Jakob Rabbitt.

"Dawn, are you babbling about your silly Monsters again?"

"Go away, Jakob!!"

"Hmph," he said, and stuck his nose in the air. "I'd prefer you drew, say, real things."

"Shut up! Dragons are real!"

He laughed at her. "You really think so?!"

Dawn gritted her teeth.

"Vampires? Yes. Werewolves? Sure! Elves? Yep."

"But there's a dragon on Invision right now! Have you never met Kyo?"

She was referring to Kyo & Kun. Kyo was a large Dragon, and Kun was a plushie that was Kyo's best friend. The two were originally one person, but were split apart by magic powers.

Jakob's mouth twitched. He'd been outsmarted. again.

 

-----------------------------

 

Dawn had left her house and was walking into town. She was happy, but still slightly frightened by her strange dream.

'This Day'? When was that? Her birthday was coming up in a few days-she was scared that 'This day' referred to her Birthday. If it did, then it was only fitting. Her birthday was on Halloween, after all.

Her Train of Thought as stopped suddenly when she heard the voice of her friend, Cheesemaster. He was standing on the street corner selling papers, as always.

"Hi, Dawn!"

"Oh, Hi, Cheesemaster."

"You seem kind of down, Dawn. Is something wrong?"

"Can we talk about it somewhere else?"

"Oh," he said, sadly. "Uh, sure."

 

---------------------------------

 

Dawn led Cheesemaster to the cemetery in town. They were mostly silent, until Dawn tried to strike up conversation. "Aren't the Fall colors pretty?"

Cheesemaster looked around. "Yeah, I guess."

The noise from the Port of Cheese slowly got quieter as the pair got nearer to the cemetery.

"Is there a reason why it has to be all the way out at this scary place?"

"I just think it would be fitting."

"well, we're here. What did you want to tell me?"

Dawn was silent for many moments. Her dress and hair blew in the wind, and then she looked up at Cheesemaster.

"It's this dream I keep having," she explained to him. She told him the contents of her dream.

Cheesemaster thought for a moment. "Huh...that's really weird. What exactly do you see in the dreams?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"What do you see?"

She thought for a moment. "Sometimes I see the monsters I draw. That's what I've been seeing for the whole month. But last night I only saw a Coffin with Blood seeping out of it. The entire thing is shaking, like someone is in there. The lid opens up, but I don't see who comes out of it. And somehow I feel it's mine."

Cheesemaster said nothing. He didn't know what to say to that.

There was a long silence. Orange, yellow, and red leaves fluttered in the wind, circling around the two. The silence seemed deafening, and it seemed it would swallow both of them. It was broad light out, but it was scarier then anything the two had experienced in their lives.

Cheesemaster finally spoke up. "Dawn, why did you bring me here?"

Her head snapped up, and she finally gave him a worried smile. "Oh. I just feel better talking here."

Cheesemaster said nothing. He glanced over her, thinking for a reason why she'd be more comfortable here, and then he noticed her lack of a shadow."

Dawn rubbed her hand over a tombstone. "I guess I feel more comfortable around dead people. After all..." she looked at him with sad, empty eyes. "I'm technically dead, too."

Cheesemaster smiled at her. "O-Of course. I-I guess I know how you feel."

"Whatever do you mean?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped when Dawn slinked over to him. "I'm thirsty," she said, in a voice that sent chills up his spine.

She walked over, and leaned over him. She clutched his throat with one hand and moved his head to one side.

"Ow," he muttered. He wasn't scared; you'll find out why.

He watched her fangs come out. Nothing else had changed but she instantly seemed much more frightening. She bit into his neck...nothing?

"Um..." she mumbled, taking her mouth off of him. She examined him, and bit into a different section of his neck. Nothing.

"Uh, Dawn?"

"Hold on." She repeated the process. Again-nothing.

"Cheesie, You've-"

"I've got no blood." He pushed her off him. "I was about to say that."

"Oh...So that's why you said you know how I feel."

"Yeah. technically, I'm not really alive...You know what they say. I really am a-"

'MOLD!!!" shouted a voice. The two turned around suddenly and saw a steaming Jakob Rabbitt. "What was that, Dawn?! Were you just...?"

The two of them jumped over the fence and walked over to Jakob. "Jakob, please don't act so upset, I-"

He turned and looked at Cheesemaster. "What were you doing all the way out here with Dawn?!"

"W-What?"

"You're all the way out here, where there is not a soul around, with Dawn."

Cheesemaster scowled at him. "What are you implying?!"

Jakob folded his arms and looked at him menacingly. "You know what I'm implying."

"You're out of your mind!"

He turned to look at Dawn.

"Do you think I was giving him a hickey or something?"

"Maybe. After all, Common Sense implies that he's got no blood. Besides, you don't feed of people, I thought."

Dawn scowled. "Well, that didn't cross my mind."

"And you..." he clutched Cheesemaster by his collar. "If I ever see you around Dawn again, Newsie..."

"HEY!!!" came another voice. This one was Cheese Woman. "LET GO OF MY CHEESIE!!!"

Jakob threw him on the ground and turned to look at her. "Well if it isn't the block of mold's equally moldy girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend.." muttered Cheesemaster, as he got back on his feet.

Cheese Woman ran up to Jakob. Even though he was a foot taller than her, she tried to put up a fight.

Jakob crossed his arms and looked down at her, standing still, as she jumped around yelling at him. Finally, he sighed and closed his eyes, and extended one of his arms, and pushed her down on her head. "Calm down, Moldy Girl."

"DON'T EVER CALL ME OR CHEESIE A MOLD!"

"Speaking of..." he turned and saw he and Dawn had run off.

"Aren't you his girlfriend?" he smirked. "You'd better be seeing to it that he's not cheating on you with Dawn."

She gasped and ran off.

"Hmph," muttered Jakob. "That Dawn is an odd girl."

[Mushroom_king]

"Dawn! Dawn!!! Wait!!"

Cheesemaster was chasing Dawn throughout the town. She had clutched her hat and had it over her face, and eventually stopped under the shade of a roof.

Cheesemaster caught up to her, caught his breath, and asked her what was wrong.

She rubbed her face slowly. "The sun is bad for me," she said weakly. "I need a umbrella or something..."

He was silent for many moments as Dawn shut her eyes. She opened them in surprise when she saw that he was using his coat as a makeshift parasol for her.

"Come on. Let's go back to your house. You'll need to rest."

"T-Thank you..." she stammered. She got flushed in the face as Cheesemaster walked her through the town and a couple people looked on.

They were on the front porch of the Rabbitt Manor and about to go in when Cheesemaster was thrust away from Dawn and turned around and found himself an inch from Cheese Woman's face. "Whaaaaat was thaaaaaaat?!" she said, loudly.

"What was what?" He said, confused. His glasses were slipping due to the constant shaking, as was his cap.

"What was <i>that</i> back in the town? You were being all....close...with Dawn...you were protecting her from the sun, weren't you?"

"Well yeah."

She looked angry for a moment. "That...that..." she put her hands by her face and swooned. "That is soooooooo sweeeeeet!!!"

Cheesemaster sighed dramatically.

Dawn's eyes glittered and she grinned, and she and Cheese Woman started talking and giggling in such a way that I'd rather not bore the reader with the details of their conversation. However, Cheesemaster was having difficulty believing Dawn to be a vampire, due to her nature and bubbly personality, and he would have forgotten it if she had not nearly died in the sunlight moments ago.

"Well, I'll see you two later." said Dawn. She still had a tired look in her eyes. "I need to rest, get some shade..." and with that she headed on into her mansion.

When the door clicked shut, Cheese Woman turned and looked at Cheesemaster, and then hugged him. Not in the obsessive way she usually hugged him. She didn't glomp him, or strangle him, or smother him like she usually did....she just hugged him. It was strange and almost unnerving. She wasn't usually so....calm.

"You're such a gentleman."

He blushed and rubbed his head, and the pair started to walk into the town. "I don't see why this is such a big deal. I was just being nice to her. I'd turn my jacket into an umbrella for any of my friends."

"Oh, Cheesie..." she stopped all of a sudden and buried her head in his chest. She looked up at him. "That's one of the biggest reasons why I like you so much."

Cheesemaster looked at her with an expression that was a mixture of awkwardness, shock, and embarrassment. She gasped, and she stood straight up again, but her arms were still around him. "I'm sorry. That was really awkward."

Cheesemaster looked around, and saw that there were actually several people about in the town, and a few were staring at them.

"Uhhhhhhh....let's just...go home....now." stuttered Cheesemaster.

He lurched himself from out of her grip, and ran home as fast as he possibly could.

 

------------------------------------

 

James and Sterling Rabbitt were sitting at Dawn's bedside, monitoring her condition.

"Dawn, I hope you haven't gotten a cold. Your birthday is tomorrow. It'd be horrible if you were sick for it."

Dawn's eyes grew very wide. "T-Tomorrow?!" The contents of her dreams came flooding back to her, and she gasped, followed by a heavy cough. "T-Tomorrow?!" she said again.

"What's wrong, Dawn? Are you worried about being older?" asked Sterling.

"No, No! I...I...I had this dream...and in the dream, it says something about "That Day" and they say my name a lot, and...Dead Alliance..."

James looked at Sterling. Sterling looked at James. They didn't know what to make of it, but Dawn got up all of a sudden.

"No, No, Dawn, lay back down. You need rest."

"No, I need to go into the library room!"

"Why?!"

"The dream talks about a book, too. I need to find it..."

"Tell me the name and I'll find it for you."

She fell back on the bed. "It's called The Monster Book."

James gasped for a moment.

He turned his head swiftly. "I...have heard that name before...Dawn, you realize that such a book is likely to be unholy literature?"

She nodded.

"Alright, then.." he sighed. "I don't know if such a book would be in our library. Sterling, stay with your sister. I'll also get some cold medicine."

I don't have a cold, though Dawn.

 

------------------------------------

 

James walked into the Manor's giant Library. It was an enormous room in more ways then one; the ceiling was incredibly high, and the room was spacious. The room was lit by nothing more than two small, rectangular windows near the ceiling on two sides of the room. Two shafts of light shined from these two windows, and the dust of the library danced in the glow.

"Where to look?" James thought aloud. He scanned the M's, as the books were sorted by title rather then Author.

He hadn't searched long when he saw a beige tome in there with "The Monster Book" written clearly on the spine. He took it out.

The book was about to burst at the seams. The cover said "The Monster Book" in sharp and frightening calligraphy, and Scratch marks were all over it, particularly one huge on on the front. He didn't know if it was a drawing or an actual claw mark.

The book had an evil aura to it that sent shivers up and down James's spine. His mind began making up fascinating stories as to the book's origins. Perhaps the book was once in plentiful numbers but all of them were burned but this copy. He glanced at the book and realized that either the book was never published, or all published copies were destroyed. This was clearly the original copy of the book that possibly belonged to the book's author before he was hanged or burned at the stake for writing such a book.

The book filled him with an overwhelming sense of curiosity. He wanted to read it, but feared for his own salvation if he did read it. What were the contents of the book? Was it a field guide? A horrifying novel? A book of Unholy magic? He didn't know. The cover of the book offered no possible clue to it's contents, for the author's name was been singed and clawed away.

He put the book under his arm and carefully walked out of the room.

 

 

[hooray for awkward moments!]

[Mushroom_king]

James walked out of the library, only to be stopped by his brother. Jakob folded his arms and looked down on James. "What's that?" He pointed his head to The Monster Book.

James grabbed it, realizing what was coming. "I-it's-it's a book I was going to read." He avoided the fact that it was for Dawn. That would be a bad idea; a very bad idea. And if Jakob learned that the book was in his Library, he'd throw a tantrum, and possibly burn it. James was a man who believed in morality, but he also believed in Free speech, and to have this book burned, especially if it was, as he thought, the last copy in existence, it would be a horrible shame if it was destroyed.

"I see. Just a book for yourself to read?"

James nodded, and began to walk off.

The two were heading their separate pathways when Jakob turned around and said "Why are you headed for Dawn's room?"

James sweat a tiny bit. "She's sick. Don't you know?"

Jakob let off a loud "Hmph!" and turned around, his cape flowing behind him.

 

------------------------------

 

"Here, Dawn. Here's the book."

Dawn took the book from his hands and examined the cover.

He sat on her bed. "I felt a strange aura coming from it, so I want you to be careful. I...I didn't look at it myself."

"Thanks, James." she coughed, and opened it up to the first page.

"Eh? The author's last name is Rabbitt like ours."

"Oh? No wonder it was in our possession, then."

"In my dream, they talked about some dates years and years ago. Maybe the previous owners of the Dead Alliance wrote this book."

James agreed quietly. "I'll leave you alone. Come along, Sterling. Dawn, be sure to get lots of rest."

"I will. I want to read for a while."

The door quietly clicked shut and Dawn dove into the book.

The Monster Book was not a Monster Field Guide, a Horrifying Novel, or a book of Unholy Magic; it was all these things and more. Not only were there Unholy spells, but there were Animal Spells, and Dark Spells, which made Dawn grin, as she used Dark Magic.

The Horrifying Novel aspect was not a fictional novel, but rather, a Horrifying Diary. And Dawn was right; the Book was written by the previous owner of the Dead Alliance, and as she learned later on, by the previous owner of The Freebird Alliance.

Dawn had never read something like this before. There were accounts of Unholy Rituals and Cults, Bloody Monsters tearing into humans, Vampires, Werewolves, and other deadly creatures that Dawn loved.

But the real shock was The Field Guide. The pictures were exactly the same as her drawings, as were the names and descriptions! She slammed the book shut and place it in the drawer in her nightstand. This was incredibly frightening, and far too strange to be a mere coincidence. It was clear to her; The previous leaders of The Two Alliances were her relatives. She was a direct descendent of both.

 

-----------------------------------

 

"Julia, do you notice things getting stranger around here?"

Jakob and Julia were having tea in the Dining Room.

Julia said nothing; she simply nodded.

"The spirits of the household have been acting up a lot more often than usual. They're usually very calm, but lately they've been mischievous. The others have acted quite odd, as well. Sterling's pets have been appearing more often. Dawn's dehydrated no matter how much she drinks, James has been acting secretive, Richard's holed himself in his room, and you..."

The spirit possessing Julia had been appearing more often, too. Julia had gotten better at controlling it, but lately it was uncontrollable, and there wasn't exactly anyone to cure her.

"There's something odd in the October breeze, dear. Something very bad. I fear for the worst."

"I do too, Jakob. I...I do too."

 

 

 

[Just so you know, the whole idea of The Dead Alliance is actually the creation of my friend Ice Climber, whom Julia, Dawn, and Sterling are based off of. The Monster Book was the name of the sketchbook that she used to draw dragons and pass notes in (it eventually became an A.D. Journal), and stuff. Though the part where she learns the monsters in the book are the ones she drew, I got that from a dream I had once.]

[Mushroom_king]

So Dawn finished The Monster Book and went peacefully to sleep. And that night, the night before her Birthday, the night before all truth would come, her dream was very, very different.

She saw a...woman, who looked much like herself. But she was taller, and looked older, with a more developed body, thick lips and dark eye makeup. Her dress was pitch black, with white ruffles, and a long, black coat. In her hand was a menacing staff; a black orb with two skeleton hands protruding from it, and coming from the bottom of the orb was a long blade with a swirling black vein of energy. And from her back were two enormous demon wings.

 

She stood on a giant cliff, with the familiar monsters below the cliff moaning and roaring.

But opposite her was a grass-covered cliff, where stood another Dawn. This Dawn, too, was older, but Her dress was Golden, with a Golden cape and enormous Angel's wings on her back. In her hand was another staff; It was two sticks of wood intertwined together, and one stick ended in a swirl, whilst the other ended and created three long spikes. In between was an orb of energy. Below the cliff there were Natural-Looking animals: bears, eagles, lions, and others. The two Dawns stepped forward and raised their staffs, and then...

"Dawn. Dawn..."

Dawn awoke from her dream. It was still dark out. She tried to go back to sleep, but she couldn't. She check the time. It was 11:50; only 10 minutes until Midnight. She got up and got dressed, and walked around to see if she could get sleepy. It was failing. She suddenly got a strong sense of thirst.

She didn't want to risk waking any of the others up; if they woke up and found her drinking their blood, she'd be grounded for months! But ever since drinking Mushroom_king's blood, she'd craved the blood of humans over deer blood.

She ignored it. But the urge got stronger and stronger. She'd never had such a craving for blood before. It was similar to when you or me needs a drink of water, but you ignore it because you have something to do. But soon it became uncontrollable. You or I have never had such a craving for water, unless you did not drink water for a couple days, and if you didn't drink for a couple days you'd probably die.

She went outside to see if she could find some deer. But soon she found herself in a dark, unfamiliar area. The deafening silence was slowly but surely getting replaced by the moans of beasts.

But for some reason, Dawn wasn't scared; she'd dreamed the dream of this day for so long she soon expected it.

"Welcome...Dawn." said a creeping voice. And before her stood a gigantic, bony monster, with broken chains clanking on the ground, attacked to it's thin wrists. It had enormous claws soaked in Blood, it's eyes had been clawed out long ago, and it had enormous, razor-sharp teeth, also soaked in blood. Beside it was a monster that Dawn recognized as a Chimera-a lion with a Dragon's tail and a Goat's head coming out of it's back. But it was bigger than the Chimeras she had read about, and it had an eagle perched on it, and giant golden wings.

The Chimera spoke, too; but it's voice was grand, deep, and heroic. "Welcome, Dawn."

Dawn bowed to them both.

The Chimera spoke again. "This is The Bloody Reaper. I am The Golden Chimera."

"I am here for my test of Heart, I believe?"

"That is true. You seem to have gotten our messages."

Dawn nodded.

"Well, we will put you through the Test of Heart. But I must warn you beforehand..."

"I'm fine."

"Alright, then. But don't say I didn't warn you, Dawn Rabbitt."

 

-------------------------------

 

Dawn found herself in what she believed to be the first challenge of The Test of Heart.

Dawn had guessed that the Tests would involve her sacrificing things for her friends. She was exactly right.

She found herself, Vanilla Star Hamster, MK, and PMM on a sinking boat. There was only one life raft for them, and such a raft only fit 3 people. It was a small raft; no room to fit the 3 girls and PMM. Who was she going to sacrifice to escape?

"Dawn, Help!!" yelled Vanilla. MK screamed and PMM was freaking out. "I can't die! I have yet to see Final Fantasy 9,001, Super Smash Sisters, Super Mario Time Travel..."

Dawn didn't know what to do. She looked frantically at the one life raft available. One person would have to die to save the other three. But who? BUT WHO?!

Dawn sighed. She knew what to do.

"You three get on. I..."

"Dawn?"

A tear slid down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I simply can't come with you."

"But Dawn..."

"I love all three of you."

The other three stared at her and began to cry as they boarded the raft, and floated away as Dawn sank and drowned in the ship.

 

Dawn fell into another coma and began to dream. This sacrifice had her in the "Good" area right now. Only 3 challenges left.

[Mushroom_king]

The next challenge saw Dawn on an island with MK, Arkcher, and PMM. Before her was a large portal.

"What's that?" asked Dawn, looking at it ominously.

"Don't you remember?" said Arkcher. "We came all this way so you could turn into a regular girl, and no longer be a vampire."

But I like being a vampire... the real Dawn thought. The one in the dream, however, smiled and said, "Oh Yeah! I forgot."

"But wait, where's Sterling?"

Dawn looked around and finally found Sterling. She was right in front of The Portal, and was about to go in it."

"Sterling!" shrieked MK, "You can't go in there! That's for Dawn!"

"But I want to be normal, too," she whispered. She was melancholic. "I don't want to have all these spirits following me around. I want to be a normal little girl."

"Sterling..."

"Go on, Sterling. You deserve it more than I do. People have already accepted me for who I am, but there's not many who have done the same for you."

"But...Dawn, you suffer so much more," said MK. "You have the cravings. You can't go out in the sun. You can't go swimming. You can't got eat Chinese or Italian food with us."

"It's alright, guys. Go on Sterling."

Sterling walked slowly into the portal.

 

-----------------------------------

 

Dawn woke up in limbo once again. Another point towards Goodness. 2 down and 2 to go. She didn't understand the situations though...they'd never happen to her in real life!

 

But onto the semi-final challenge....

 

 

------------------------------------

 

Dawn found herself with Jakob Rabbitt in the Forum Forest. It was the dead of night. Why they were there, she didn't know; all she knew was that they were in grave danger, running from God knows what. And they would have gotten away with it, too; not because of meddling kids, but because of the thing that frequently brings Heroes to an end: A dead end. Jakob and Dawn fund themselves at Outside The Wall, but it was a wall and not a hill. Which I guess would make it Outside The Hill or something.

Dawn turned around and saw various monsters, but not the kinds of The Dead Alliances; truly vicious monsters.

The monsters hissed and growled at her and Jakob. She knew she would have to sacrifice herself or Jakob. Much like the first challenge. Seems like most "challenges" involve sacrificing loved ones. But in this case, the choice of Jakob was not a good one; perhaps they meant to use James or something, because Dawn remembered all the horrible things Jakob had done to her, and her friends. She pushed him towards the monsters and saw them tear him limb-to-limb. In seconds, all that was left of him were tatters of his fancy clothes and his hat. And with that Dawn fell to the ground and cried.

 

------------------------------------

 

Unfortunately (depending on how you look at it), that, in case you didn't guess, was a point towards The Dead Alliance. The next challenge was the final one.

 

------------------------------------

 

Dawn found herself in an outfit she had not worn in years; a Black dress with many ruffles on it, tall black ruffled lace-up boots, and in her hand was a tall Glaive.

Around her was Chaos. It had been ages since Dawn had last used Magic in a battle, but here, in this dream, she was being forced to use it again. Before her was an enemy who contained great power. A woman with such gleaming light around her she seemed like she was holding the Sun itself in her grip. She must have been a Light Mage. Dawn, a Darkness Mage, was in a jam; should she attack, she'd kill an innocent person. But if she did nothing, she'd die. What to do?

Preferring not to die, she raised her glaive and said something, two words she thought she'd never hear herself say:

"FINAL...." and she brought her glaive to the ground, causing a large black orb to form and gather around he glaive's tip. It had become enormous until she swung the glaive to the side and hit the orb towards the woman.

"Twilight!!"

Dawn woke up and remembered nothing that happened afterwards. She was still in The woods the Rabbitt Manor, with the Golden Chimera and The Bloody Ripper still before her.

Dawn got up and rubbed her eyes. No time had passed, had it? She had no idea. "Dawn..."

She looked at The Golden Chimera, and wondered if The Bloody Ripper could speak.

"Dawn...something is odd about your results."

"What? What happened?"

"Two challenges proved positive towards The Freebird Alliance, but two proved Positive for the Dead Alliance. It is equal results."

Dawn stood up and brushed the dust and leaves off her dress. "So? What happens?"

The Golden Chimera whispered with The Bloody Ripper for several moments.

"We have no choice but to give you control of both."

"Do I...Do I really have that kind of power to take control of two Alliances that have that much power?"

"You performed The Final Twilight with the Force Glaive, did you not?"

"That was just a dream-a hallucination."

"How do you know that dreams and hallucinations do not really happen?"

"Oh! That reminds me!" exclaimed Dawn. "Did any of the challenges really happen, or will they happen, or are they just fake?"

"Who knows? I hope you never have to go through the 1st and 3rd ones, though."

The Chimera and The Ripper walked closer to Dawn. The Chimera handed her a Small Wand with Golden Wings, and The Ripper handed her A tiny Wand with a Scythe on top."

"You'll have to transform to take control of The Alliances. Do you want to try now?"

Dawn could barely control her excitement.

"Take the wand I gave you, and say, "Free Bird Alliance, Transforming Power."

Dawn took the pen, held it up in the air, and said the phrase in the most epic way she could. After the obligatory 1-minute-and-a-half Transforming sequence, which would be difficult to put into book words, She was wearing The Gold-and-Yellow outfit that one of the Dawns was wearing in her dream last night. In her hand was the staff, as well.

The Bloody Ripper finally spoke. It had the voice you would expect it to have; deep, growling, and sinister. "Now try mine. Say "Dead Alliance, Transforming Power."

Dawn grabbed the wand. Another transforming sequence followed, and of course hse had the darker outfit from the dream, and the sinister staff.

She Put the wands in her pocket and went back to normal.

"You can find information on how to use your powers in The Monster Book. There ought to be a section called The D.A. Book, and one called The F.A. Book. You needn't take out someone's eyes. Until we meet again, Master."

 

Dawn glanced at her pens, and suddenly felt tired. She struggled to walk home.

 

------------------------------------

 

The next morning, Dawn wondered if the night's events really happened, but she didn't care-it was her Birthday! All her friends had come from around Invision to come to her party. She couldn't wait to show them her pets.

 

 

 

 

[next is Hamsterking's Story. It is a Birthday Theme story.]

[Mushroom_king]

Hamsterking lied silently in his bed. He was as excited as a young child, for today was his birthday.

 

Such excitement was typical of the other Invisionists on their birthdays, for most of them were in their teens; some were younger, some were older, but few were over the age of 35. Hamsterking, however, was acting abnormal for his age; for Hamsterking had, long ago, used magic to make himself live longer and healthier.

 

How old is he, you ask?

 

As of this day, he was 101 years old.

 

---------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, the day before, elsewhere on Invision, our main characters were at Planet Horatio having Lunch. It was only 5:45 and It was dark because of Daylight Savings Time, and added to the mood...for Schimmislick, a young man who worked as a singer (and something else, as you will find). The group was discussing what to do for Hamsterking's birthday, with Horatio helping them.

 

"Perhaps we should re-decorate his castle," suggested Kat. "We can make it Plaid and build it from my couch cushions!"

Cheesemaster coughed and said, "Um, well. Even though Hamsterking is a pretty tiny hamster, I think he'd prefer a Bigger castle."

"What do you mean?"

"Kat, your couch cushions don't make a very big castle."

"It's a big enough castle for me."

"How?"

"I use pillows, too."

"Well, it still wouldn't be fit for Hamsterking. Remember...he's the coolest politician ever." said Arkcher.

Horatio sighed and said, "I remember when we first came here. Me, Hamsterking, Hamsterweb, and Stewart."

"Stewart..." sighed Cheesemaster ominously. He said nothing afterwards.

"Stewart never spoke much. He mainly just stayed in his room on our ship and talked to himself, or wrote stuff down, or looked at old photographs. We were never allowed in there. I always wondered about the man."

The others were about to continue the conversation, but the lights dimmed and Glowurm's signature Australian accent yet still classy-sounding voice.

"Attention all guests of Planet Horatio...please give your best attentiveness to our very own Schimmislick, the first one in tonight's line of performers. Actually, there's only 3!"

And while Glowurm continued to ramble on about nothing, a very...well, slick-looking young man stepped onto the stage. He was clad in white leather, and managed to not look like an idiot, and had white hair with a blue stripe down the part. He had a choker with a tiny Buddha on it, and had plain blue shoes that said POW!! on them. That was his catch phrase you see.

He grabbed the Mic off the stand and began to sing and dance to God knows what.

 

----------------------------------

 

After the show, Schimmi went backstage as the next act prepared to show up. Our heroes (plus Aloysius and Horatio) went back to see if he could help them with Hamsterking's birthday.

Aloysius saw Schimmi on a blue couch backstage. In fact, most of the things in the room were Blue; the walls and floor were white, but the rug was sky-blue, the desk was wooden with blue knobs, and, what struck Aloysius as odd, there were blue paintings of Buddha in the room. Hardy what you expect from a leather-clad singer. There was also a Linux poster; also odd. The group sat on the other couches. Schimmi was typing away at a slick, silver laptop that also had the POW!! emblem. He glanced up at his visitors, grinned, and shut the laptop. He placed it on a glass-top coffeetable that had a large book on Buddhism, which was on top of a book on Computers.

"Hi, guys. You must be the Aloysius I keep hearing about." His voice was unusually suave-sounding.

"Uh, yes. We came because tomorrow is the birthday of Hamsterking. I will be meeting his highness tomorrow. It will be a fantastic honor!"

Schimmi smiled. "I'm sure it will be. Well, you want me to help with the celebration? What do you think I can do?"

PMM and Horatio made a suggestion: "You could sing the traditional birthday song for him." Horatio continued speaking. "You have such a nice voice, I'm sure Hamsterking will be delighted."

"I guess I could do that. In fact, everyone ought to make best use of their talents to make Hamsterking's birthday the best one ever."

"But that's what we did laaaast year, for his birthday, 'cause he was a century old last year." moaned PMM. "Let's do something fun and new this year. How about a surprise party?"

"I have an idea," Arkcher finally spoke up. "Me and Cheesemaster made this one up. Hamsterking is always busy, so why don't we do his work for a day?"

PMM thought for a moment and grinned sadistically.

"Too bad for you, Paper Mario master. You don't get to be king for a day."

"Guess I'll stick to Final Fantasy..."

"That sounds like a fantastic idea!" said Horatio. "I know for a fact that Hamsterking is a busy man....hamster."

"Well, that's that. Hey, the next act is about to start, and I'm in the middle of something important."

"What are you doing?" wondered Aloysius.

"Well...the whole singer thing...you could say it's a cover-up. I'm really a hacker."

"WHAAAAAAAT???"

"Didn't I tell you, dad? He's Schimmislick, the slickest Hacker in all of Hamsterdam! POW!!!"

Schimmislick looked at him, confused. "Huh, real creative."

[Mushroom_king]

The group plus Schimmislick went out to the dining area (and stage area) just as the next act was beginning. A wrinkled old man wearing a suit was standing on the stage, and next to him was a girl puppet that had pale blond braids, a pink dress with a tear in the corner, large eyes, and a giant windmill on her head.

"Everyone, please welcome my good friend, Cutie Puppet!"

The audience clapped, but was cut short when the puppet screamed, "Get your hand out of my dress, pervert!"

She had a thick Dutch accent; that possibly explained why she had a windmill on her head.

The man gasped and whispered, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Cutie Puppet sighed and folded her arms. "Who are all these people?!"

"This are our friends, Cutie Puppet. Say hello."

"No way."

Aloysius was watching the show when he smelled smoke. He rapidly looked to his left and saw a teenage boy with a messy mop of hair, a hoodie, jeans, and a cigarette in his hand.

"Um-"

"Hm?"

The boy looked at Aloysius. He had an I-Don't-care look on his face, and eyes shaped like the letter T. (Like this emote T_T) He took a drag on his cigarette and glared at Aloysius.

"I-I don't think you're-"

"You're not allowed to smoke here."

"Yes. That's correct."

He took another drag and blew the smoke near Aloysius. "I really don't care."

"Oh, I-"

"My name's Roger. What's a fancy-dressed stranger like you doing here?"

The Ventriloquist and Cutie Puppet continued to argue: "Come on, Cutie Puppet, why won't you say Hi to the nice audience?" "Because they're really not such a nice audience. If they were, they'd pay you a lot more so you can get some ventriloquist lessons!"

"I didn't raise you to be that kind of puppet, young lady."

"What do you mean, 'Young lady'? I'm not going to grow up. I'm gonna stay like this forever. You, old man, are not."

Aloysius was uncomfortable around this strange boy. He clearly didn't seem to like authority.

Roger leaned in and looked at him real close. "I've never seen you around before. Who are you?"

"I'm Aloysius Ahrroww."

"Never heard of him."

"O-Oh," he stuttered. This was a first.

"I'm an inventor."

"Do we really need more of them here?"

"I don't have any plans to Live here," said Aloysius, "I'm merely visiting my son, Ar-"

"Arkcher?"

"Yes."

"I knew right when I saw you. He's your spitting image." He sighed and took another drag on his cigarette.

There was a long silence as the two watched the Ventriloquist's psychotic breakdown.

"Thanks for saying Hello to the audience, Cutie."

"I only did it so you would shut up."

"Oh, that's not very nice. You're really not a very nice puppet."

"This guy's been a lot less boring ever since his puppet became possessed."

"P-Possessed?!"

"It used to be a normal puppet, and it was boring. Every act was the same. Then one day, some angry spirit possessed it. Every act is different now, so it's worth it to come. I guess it's made The Man happier, too. I've been so busy coming here to see the Insane Puppet and I've been spending less time supporting the Spray-Paint industry."

"Graffiti?"

"Yyyyyep."

Roger expected a speech on how vandalism was wrong. That's what he got from most adults.

"That's fine."

Roger was shocked. His cigarette fell out of his mouth and fell on the floor, and his quickly picked it up and threw it away.

"W-what?!"

"Some graffiti is really cool-looking, I think."

Roger stared at him in shock, sighed a happy sigh, and then lit another cigarette.

"That's a first. I declare you awesome. Don't screw it up."

 

------------------------------

 

Hamsterking was in his castle the same day Roger met Aloysius wondering what the Invisionists had in mind for his birthday tomorrow.

His main two Subjects were two hamsters by the names of Hamsterweb and Horatio. While Hamsterking was 100 years old (101 tomorrow), Hamsterweb was over 40 years old and Horatio was just 10. They were special hamsters known usually as "Giant Hamsters" as they were the size of Human children and typically had human lifespans. Hamsterking never told anyone how he was so old yet so healthy. Maybe he was immortal. Maybe he was born that way. Maybe it's Maybelline. Whatever it was, it was really powerful. Hamsterking didn't exactly show any signs of dying.

 

Hamsterweb was a freakish Half-Hamster and Half-Spider experiment; back on the Communistic Hamster Planet (dear God, did I really just say that?), he was paraded around as a freak, and no one ever saw his insanely good computer skills. Horatio, on the other hand, was a pilot and music fan. He also liked sunflower seeds. He was the only one who really ever interacted with the Invisionists; Hamsterweb was always busy, and Hamsterking was usually busy and only had interacted with his subjects when he was announcing something, or during a holiday, or his birthday. So he was going to see the Invisionists tomorrow, and they would come to his castle and celebrate.

"You two know I usually have the Invisionists come to my castle to celebrate, but I'm thinking of something different. I think I'll go visit them in Hamsterdam this time. I never really go out and explore my planet very much. I always just stay here, sometimes going out into the grassy area, or look out at the ocean."

Horatio smiled. "I think that's a grand idea!"

Hamsterweb merely nodded.

"Then it's settled. I'll make it a surprise."

 

 

 

 

[lol, Horatio said "Grand Idea: lol]

[Mushroom_king]

Meanwhile, back at Planet Horatio, Graf Von and Cutie Puppet's act was just ending and the two were bowing as the crowed clapped. The 3rd act of the night was about to start.

"I think you'll like this one," said Roger, to Aloysius.

"Isn't this the final act?"

Roger took a drag on his cigarette. "Oh, Poppycock..."

"Eh?" wondered Aloysius, but Roger said nothing.

Suddenly, a woman's voice came over the intercom: "Gather 'Round and Look Closely!"

The lights dimmed, and a spotlight moved around the room. It stopped on the stage and suddenly disappeared. "There's nothing in my hand! There's nothing in my sleeve!"

And with that, the spotlight reappeared and the most bizarre woman Aloysius had ever seen in his entire life appeared.

She was tall and slightly chubby, wearing a t-shirt made of two different fabrics. Her left arm had a long sleeve, and her right arm had no sleeve, with several tattoos and jewelry. Over the t-shirt was half of a vest, with a safety pin barely attaching it to her body, and a tank top with no strap. Barely holding up a frayed pink tutu was a single, checkered suspender. Around her neck was a golden bow-tie and an untied necktie covered with top hats and rabbits. She had too many earrings to count, and had several necklaces as well as the dressier neck pieces. She wore pants; her right leg was floor-length with the bottoms tucked into snow boots, while her other leg had purple shorts with harlequin tights, a checkered Garter, and a single ballet slipper with a little yellow pompom. On her head was a top hat, worn with age, and on her face, was a mask that only covered half of her face. Her hair was buried in hair clips, bows, barrettes, and hairpins. She took a wand out of a pocket in her tutu and bowed.

 

"I will need an assistant!" she shouted to the crowed. The spotlight came off her and centered on Aloysius. He blushed nervously. "W-Who, Me?!"

"You! My good sir! I have never seen your face before! Come here!"

Aloysius shakily got up and walked onstage.

"Sir, what is your name?"

"Aloysius Apollo Ahrroww."

"You're Arkcher's father, eh? You look just like him. You can call me Who Are You? Who Am I?."

"Where'd you get a name like that?"

"I didn't say it was my name. I said you could call me that."

"O-Oh! My apologies."

"No worries. You'll be my assistant for tonight's show!"

Aloysius seemed calm. This SHOULD be perfectly fi-

"First off, let's do a classic: The Man in The Box!"

"What?"

But before he could do anything, He found himself inside the wooden box, with the woman holding a saw above his body.

She whispered to him: "Don't worry. This is only stage magic, not real magic."

"Alright, Alright!" whispered Aloysius. He sighed and calmed down. She brought the saw down onto the box Aloysius was in and sawed the box.

She looked over at Arkcher and winked when she was done sawing the box. "I'm afraid your father isn't half the man he used to be, Arkcher..."

Arkcher pretended to be shocked, and the spotlight went back to the magician girl.

She spread the two boxes apart, and opened them...and out came Aloysius, full and uncut.

The crowed applauded and the two bowed. "Thank you for your help, Aloysius." and with that, she sent him back to his seat. When he got back, he started talking to Roger.

"When I was up there, she said something like, 'This is stage magic, not Real Magic.' What did she mean?"

Roger took a long drag, looked at he ceiling, and explained. "Who Are You? Who Am I? is an Illusion Magician. That means she not only does stage magic, but she can do real magic, too. And trust me. She's deadly!"

"Oh my. And...um...this is a bit rude, but the way she dresses...?"

"Oh, I have no idea...she's never bought clothing in her life. All her clothing, she got from the trash bin, and she typically has to sew 'em together. And that hat, it's apparently been in her family forever."

"Interesting..."

Meanwhile, the magician was up on the stage, and when Aloysius looked up, all he saw was a load of cards exploding outward from her. He jumped back and Roger giggled. It was the first time Aloysius saw him smile.

The crowed clapped, and The bizarre woman took off her top hat, tapped the rim with her wand, and out came a rabbit. "This is my dearest friend, Clarytis!" And she tapped the hat more and out came a storm of doves. They all flew out to the crowed and vanished in a puff of smoke; except one, which stayed on her shoulder. "And this is my sanity...Ardnek! Those were his brothers! Well, everyone, I deeply apologize, but I must be on my way..." and, like any good magician, she, her rabbit, and her dove vanished.

Aloysius stood up and clapped, only to feel a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Who Are You? Who Am I? just behind him. She took his shoulder with one hand grabbed one of his suspenders with the other.

"It's simply not every day that my spotlight picks me out such a handsome piece of man such as yourself."

Aloysius slowly stepped away from her and blushed. "I-I-I....uh..."

"Oh, shhhh," she whispered, and took the hand on his shoulder and grabbed his other suspender, and slowly leaned in and kissed his cheek.

She pulled her face away and he looked at her face for the first time, real good. The majority of her face was obscured by a mask, making it difficult for him to really get a good look at her.

"Come on, Aloysius. I'm sure Roger That will be playing his piano soon. Do you want to dance with me?"

Aloysius instantly thought of Solrai, which made him think of Lara. But he didn't care. If he got on this woman's good side, maybe he would see her face and learn her name.

[Mushroom_king]

Roger took his cigarette and put it in the ashtray. "As she said, I play the piano. I play most nights, usually weekends." And with that, he walked up and sat at a piano that Aloysius just noticed had been up there the whole time. Roger sat in the chair, played a few keys, and started to play out a soft melody.

"Let's dance," said the Magician. "By the way, You can simply call me "Who Are You"."

"Alright, Who Are You. I still think that's such an odd title. But then again...most people here seem that way."

Who Are You nodded. Aloysius looked into one of her eyes and saw it was coated in thick, glittery eye makeup. She smiled.

"Excuse me," said a low voice. The pair turned around to see a young woman wearing a tye-dye dress and a tye-dye headband in her messy, blond hair. Coming out of her back were two small wings. Aloysius didn't want to admit it, but he couldn't help but notice the woman's small chest and manly figure.

"Woodstock!" exclaimed Who Are You. "How are you, my good-" she swallowed nervously, "My Good Woman?"

Woodstock slinked over and put her hands on Aloysius's shoulders. "Oh, wow. I haven't seen such a handsome face in years."

"That's just what I thought!" said Who Are You excitedly. "I'm surprised that he hasn't got every woman in here clamoring over him."

Aloysius blushed and scratched his head. The women of Invision apparently thought he was cute.

"C-Could I dance with him, Who Are You?!"

She let go of his shoulders reluctantly. "Oh, I guess so. Besides, I need to go backstage and practice my stage magic. I'm not so good at it. I'm better at real magic!"

"Or so I hear," said Woodstock. She squeezed Aloysius tightly, nearly breaking his spine, and then put her hands around his neck, and the two moved together to the beat of Roger's Piano.

"You know...That young man, he's very good at playing."

"Who? Oh, Roger. Yes, he's very good."

"I play an instrument, too."

"Oh, really?! Me, too! I play Acoustic Guitar. And you?"

"Violin."

"Oh..."

"Is something wrong?"

Woodstock looked up at Aloysius; her eyes were sparkling, and she took one hand and smoothed her messy hair.

"Are you very good at it? I mean, your instrument."

"Oh, I guess so. But I can handle criticism."

Aloysius was about to ask about her wings when they heard Glowurm's voice from next to them.

"Woodstock?"

"Oh, Glowwy!" Woodstock let go of Aloysius and the worm and the girl embraced each other.

"Aloysius, this is my boyfriend. I'm dating Glowurm!"

As Aloysius had no plans to date Woodstock, he grinned. "I'm so happy for you."

"I'm half-bird, so it's only half-bestiality."

Aloysius giggled.

"Anyway, could I get the two of you something to drink? Come on, let's go to the bar."

 

----------------------------

 

"There's your Prozac Milkshake, ma'am," mumbled Kat. She handed the frothy pink drink to an emo girl sitting at the bar. We'll get to her some other time.

"Thanks," said the girl, and she drank it just as Aloysius, Woodstock, and Glowurm walked up there.

"Well, what do you want, Aloysius? It's Friday, so go ahead and have some Alcohol if you want."

Aloysius was already looking at the choice of Drinks. "Electric Fetus...?"

"...I think, just something gentle. Uh, maybe, Yellow Submarine..."

"I think I'll have this," he said, pointing to a Black Drink. "The Coal Square Award."

"Um, are you positively sure?"

"I love Blackberry."

"A-Alright." said Kat, and she mixed up the drink for him.

"Here you go," she said, handing the shot to him. He downed it in a second. "Oh My goodness! It's so sweet! This is sooooo goooooooooood! Gimme another!"

"Aloysius, that's not such a good thing to do. Do you want a bad hangover?"

"Uh-"

"Exactly."

"Oh, fine."

"That drink is a really strong one, though. Be careful, drive safely...oh, I forgot to Card you. Eh, you look old enough."

"Kat Dacatis, That's irresponsible." Muttered Cheesemaster, who was apparently up there too. Not drinking, though, as he's more responsible then that.

"Eh, don't get so worked up, Cheesy."

Aloysius sat there, with two women clamoring over him, with Glowurm giving jealous looks to him.

"Hey, Cheesemaster!" said Aloysius.

"Eh?"

"Lemme ask you five questions. If you get one wrong, you gotta buy me a drink."

"Sounds good enough to me."

"Alrighty then, first question. What is your name?"

"Cheesemaster."

"Correct. What kind of vehicle do you drive?"

"A bike."

"Right. Who is the king of Invision?"

"Hamsterking."

"Alright. Are you ready for the next question?"

"I think so."

"What number question is this?"

"Uh....four?"

"Wrong. It's five. Buy me another Coal Square."

[Mushroom_king]

Cheesemaster groaned and said a muffled "Dang it," as he reached into his coat pocket and got out some of the change he had saved up from selling papers, and bought Aloysius another Coal Square.

Aloysius, once again, downed the shot. His entire body shook with the sweet blend of Blackberry and Coconut, and he let out a happy sigh.

All of a sudden, he pushed the two women away from him and stammered, "I want....I want to talk to Solrai."

Cheesemaster spun around and said, "What?!"

The two women gasped and said, "Oh My God, did he already have a girlfriend?!"

"I-It's alright," he stuttered. "I-I'm sure-I'm sure Solrai....wouldn't mind if I explained it to her..."

"She doesn't have to know, Aloysius."

"No, No! I already feel horrible that I've been hanging around two women, one of which has a boyfriend already, and I haven't told my own girlfriend that I was...and that i haven't told my Girlfriend that I'm cheating on my wife...and I haven't told my wife either..."

"WHAAAAAAAT???" screamed Who Are You and Woodstock. "You already had a wife, who you were cheating on with Solrai, who you are cheating on with Who Are You, who you are cheating on with me, and thus means I'm cheating on Glowurm, even though he already knows?!"

"Maybe...something like that...."

Kat simply sat at the bar, grinning stupidly, and said, "That Coal Square is some strong liquor." She put down the glasses she was washing, and said, "Cheesie, I'd recommend you don't let him do anything. He might do something he would regret saying, and he won't remember. That happens to me sometimes!"

"Alright, Kat. ARKCHER!!! GET OVER HERE!!"

 

----------------------------

 

Arkcher and Mushroom were dancing over in the corner, when they heard Cheesemaster calling them.

"Oh, no...what happened this time?" wondered MK as the two ran over.

Arkcher examined Cheesemaster holding his father up.

"What the....?! What happened?!"

"Your father wanted a drink, so me, Woodstock, and Glow wanted to get him something mild, but he ordered a Coal Square instead. Then he made me buy him another."

"And?"

"Uh, your dad's drunk."

Arkcher sighed and murmured something, and then spoke up. "Uh...can he not walk or something?"

"No, I'm trying to get him to not call Solrai."

"What??"

"If you haven't noticed, he's been dancing with Who Are You and Woodstock all night, and now, he wants to tell Solrai that he's been using her to cheat on his wife, and now he's cheating on Solrai with Who are you, who he cheating on with Woodstock, who is using Aloysius to cheat on Glowurm. What a mouthful."

"Geez..."

"And he wants to tell your mom, too."

"WHAT?! No. I mean, No. I mean, No."

"Yep, my thoughts, too."

"Cheese...LET GO OF ME!!!!"

"No!"

Aloysius was struggling to get out of Cheesemaster's grip, but was failing; the strong alcohol in his system made him weaker, and Cheesemaster knew how to get a good hold on someone.

"Dad, you can't tell mom that you're here OR that you're cheating on her! She'll explode!!"

"What do you...what do you mean, my boy?"

"You know how she is...I mean..."

Cheesemaster and MK were surprised when they saw Arkcher's hair fall in front of his eyes and he fell silent.

"Arkcher...?" said MK, leaning down to touch his shoulder. He suddenly held his head up, and said, "Dad, you understand, don't you?"

Aloysius only glared at him, confused. He tried to say something, but he fell to the ground, and seemed to have lost consciousness. Cheesemaster sighed and fell on his knees.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything."

Arkcher sighed. "I hope dad doesn't do this tomorrow at Hamsterking's party, because Solrai will be there."

 

------------------------------

 

The next day, Aloysius woke up only to find himself in bed back at Arkcher's Mansion.

"Oh, dear...what...what happened?"

"You got drunk at Planet Horatio last night," said Arkcher.

"Really? I don't recall."

"I thought so. Just...dad, don't drink anything heavy at Hamsterking's birthday party tonight. Solrai will be there-"

"SOLRAI WILL BE THERE?!" shouted Aloysius, jumping out of bed. "I...I...I need...I need to look my best!!"

Arkcher sat him back down on the bed. "Don't worry, dad. You have all day to get ready."

"It doesn't matter! If I rest now, I simply won't be ready later and I'll waste time! Do I have to dress up?"

Arkcher giggled. "No, you can go in what you're wearing now."

"No, No! I have to look nice for her! You'd want to look nice for Mushroom_king, wouldn't you?"

Arkcher blushed and said, "Well...I already AM kind of dressed nice-and, uh, MK likes me for who I am. Not for how I look."

"Well, that's fine! But I haven't known Solrai for as long a time as you have known Mushroom!"

And therein lies the problem, thought Arkcher.

"I...I think..."

"What?"

"I want to bring my violin! I want to play it for her."

"Oh? Uh...dad, if you don't know how you got here, how do you have it?"

Aloysius sank down on the bed. "Oh...I don't have it..."

"No worries! We have a room full of instruments!"

"But it won't be the same..."

"No, No! Don't talk that way! It'll be the same! I want you to be as happy as you can be!"

Aloysius sighed and got up. "Alright, please show me the instrument room!"

"It's actually called The Conservatory."

"I know, I was wondering if you called it that or not."

 

--------------------------

 

After quite a walk through the Mansion, the two stumbled upon the Conservatory."

"You have quite a few rooms. You never did give me a proper tour of your house."

"Uh, yea. We haven't had a whole lot of time."

"Understandable. Oh, wow! Look at all these! There's guitars of every sort! A piano! Oh, how nice! I always wanted to learn to play a piano. Ooh, Drums! A harp! And here....a violin!!!"

Aloysius grabbed a chair and sat next to the rack of string instruments. He grabbed himself an instrument, a bow, and some rosin. He rosined the bow and began to play a few notes, and after a few minutes Arkcher realized he was tuning.

Before he knew it, Aloysius was done making sure the instrument was in tune, Arkcher had a wave of nostalgia come rushing back to him and his father started playing an unnamed tune on the violin.

Arkcher sighed heavily and happily as his father kept playing. Arkcher suddenly yawned and Aloysious stopped and laughed.

"I played that for you when you were a baby so you would sleep."

"It still works."

The two of them laughed together, but Aloysious because serious and said, "But am I good enough to impress her?"

"I think so. Besides, if she really likes you, she'll appreciate it."

"Alright. By the way...who does this belong to?"

"If you must know...It's mine. I tried learning to play. I wanted to learn that song for Sean and Julian. But I couldn't find it."

"That's because I wrote it especially for you."

"Y-You Did?!"

"Indeed, I did. I tried every song I could find, and none worked on you, even though they worked on your siblings. So I wrote a song, specially, just for you."

"Oh...wow....I-I feel...really happy to know that."

Aloysius giggled and the two hugged.

"Dad."

"Yes, Arkcher?"

"I'm...I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad I'm here."

 

--------------------------

 

A few hours after that moment, Aloysius was frantic to get ready for Hamsterking's par-tay.

He started off my taking one of the longest showers in history (according to Paper Mario master), washing his hair, shaving, washing his face, getting dressed (but he added a classy bow tie to his ensemble), brushing his teeth so hard it's a wonder you couldn't use them as a mirror, tuning his violin, Practicing what he would say to Solrai, asking questions (should I bring a present? Will we sing the classic birthday song or a different one? Will I be able to be alone with Solrai? That last one made Arkcher feel kind of awkward.), wondering what he would eat and drink, selecting what songs he would play for Solrai, and then putting on a coat because it might be cold. He felt ready, but he was still nervous; he hadn't seen Solrai in several months.

"Dad, are you ready?" asked Arkcher. "Dad, I said you didn't have to dress up."

"I didn't. I thought I might be cold."

"Fine, Fine."

 

------------------------------

 

The group, having originally intended to fly out to the castle like they usually did, saved themselves a lot of time when they learned that Hamsterking was in Hamsterdam. They ate at Planet Horatio, but the place had been dressed up in banners and balloons that enthusiastic Horatio had set up. And he was more excited then ever when the guests all arrived.

Legions of Invisionists said "Happy Birthday, Hamsterking!!" as they walked in and hung their coats up. Except Aloysius. He was the last to walk in, and simply fell to his knees in front of Hamsterking. "Oh, what an honor to meet you FINALLY!!!"

"And you are Aloysius Ahrroww, correct?"

"That is me, your highness!"

"You don't have to act like I'm all high and mighty, you know."

"Dad, we talked about this..."

"I'm sorry, Son...It's just...OH MY GOODNESS! SOLRAI!!!" and with that he ran off to look for her.

"That was my father."

"I thought so."

"He's, uh, not so excitable usually."

"Why is he looking for Solrai?"

"Um...they're dating."

Hamsterking was shocked. "What?!"

"Yeah...I thought it was odd, too."

"But Arkcher, your mother!"

"My mother hates me and my father."

 

----------------------------

 

Aloysius weaved through the crowd, looking for Solrai in the crowd, looking frantically. He hoped and prayed that she had come.

As he was looking around, her ended up bumping into someone. And, like most situations like this, Aloysius was shocked to see that he had run into Solrai. He apologized profusely, but stopped when Solrai put an arm around him and shushed him with the other. "Come on. I have something to show you."

 

-----------------------------

 

Solrai took Aloysius's hand and led him out of Planet Horatio and led him out to a small private area. There, he saw a small table with a candle and two chairs. She sat him down in one chair and sat herself down in the other. She looked at him with wide, glittering eyes. "I missed you so much."

"Me too. I was thinking just the other night how much I wanted to see you."

"Really?!"

"Yes...I...I thought about you every day. I desperately wanted to even just talk to you again. But you don't have a phone...do you?"

"No...but I'd get one only to talk to you."

"Would you really?!"

Solrai nodded. "Do you want something to eat or drink?"

Aloysius leaned in from across the table. "Would I want to crush those butterflies in my stomach?"

Solrai gasped and blushed a bright shade of pink.

Aloysius sat back in his seat. "I'm dreadfully sorry. I...shouldn't say things like tha-"

"No, no!" whispered Solrai. "It's perfectly fine!! I feel the same way. But you should eat something. I've begun to notice how skinny you are."

"I'm fine."

"Don't say that. You should eat something. I can't stand to look at you when you look like you're wasting away."

"I'm telling you, Solrai, I'm perfectly healthy. But I'll eat something to make you happy. But, uh, who's gonna take our orders out here?"

"Don't you worry. I'll go in and-"

"No, No. You stay here, and I'll buy it."

"No, Aloysious. Save your money. I'll buy it, like a good-"

"A good gentleman always buys for his lady."

Solrai sighed. "Alright. I'll wait here."

Aloysius was about to walk away, when he turned around and said, "Do you want to come with me?"

Solrai got up. "I-I guess so."

"I'll still be paying, though."

 

----------------------------

 

"What the...?! Where did Dad go?! We've search every nook and cranny of this place and haven't found him or Solrai. I wanted to introduce him to everyon-"

"There he is. He's at the bar."

"WHAT??? We checked there like five times!!"

"He's with Solrai, too."

The group walked up to the bar and interrupted Aloysius and Solrai.

"Dad, where have you been?! We've looked all over for you!!!"

"I..uhm...I've been in here. Have you looked hard enough?

"Dad, tell me the truth."

"I've been outside with Solrai."

"Bow Chikka Wow Wow!" whispered PMM.

"Fine. I wanted to introduce you to the other Invisionists."

"Son...I need to spend some time with Solrai first. Besides, you should spend time with MK."

"W-what?!"

"Where is she, anyhow?"

"She's with Vanilla Star Hamster and Dawn."

"Dad, I spend time with MK every day. Not so much Cheesemaster."

Aloysius heaved. "Alright. Well, me and Solrai are going to leave now, alright?"

"Fine."

"I promise to meet everyone later!"

"Please keep your promise!"

"I Will."

And with that, the two left.

Cheesemaster glanced over at the now-angry Arkcher. "Uh...Arkcher, your dad has NEVER acted like that as long as I've known him."

 

----------------------------

 

Back outside, Solrai had gotten a salad (Called "White Unicorn") and Aloysious had gotten a strange Glowing Spaghetti. And for drinks, they both got Yellow Submarines. (Aloysius decided not to risk doing anything stupid again, so he got a milder drink.)

"Uhm...Why does this glow, anyhow?"

"It's a special kind. I think. I don't come here very often..."

"Are you still a loner, Solrai?"

"Well...I...Yes. I tried to go talk to other people...but I didn't have much to talk about. And the only person I wanted to see...was you."

Aloysious stopped eating for a moment and looked into Solrai's eyes. They were the same lovely blue he saw just months ago, the same blue as his own. And there he decided to tell her what had happened.

"Solrai..."

"Yes?"

"Last night, I was here, and I..."

"Did you dance with another woman?"

"Yes," he said, ashamed.

"It's completely alright. But who was it?"

"I think....Woodstock, I believe."

Solrai said nothing for a moment, and then said, "You told me it was a woman."

"Excuse me?"

"You told me you danced with another woman."

"I di-"

"Woodstock is not a woman."

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysius sprayed his drink in sheer shock. "Excuse me?! Did you just say she is not a woman?!"

"Woodstock is a man, Aloysius."

"So-So-Glowurm-"

"Yes."

"But-"

"Woodstock is a cross-dresser. He's getting better if he was able to fool someone as smart a you.""Well, I-I noticed-I noticed that HE had a very small chest, and that HE nearly crushed me when HE hugged me."

"But Aloysius, it's best you don't tell Woodstock you know. He'd be so upset."

"A-alright," he stuttered, still in shock. "This isn't the best thing to be talking about after finally seeing you after such a long time."

"I agree. In fact...it looks like we're both done eating. Come here."

She stood up and walked over to Aloysius, and he got up, too. The two of them embraced, and didn't let go of each other for many, many moments, simply feeling each other breathe.

Suddenly, Aloysius remembered: "I brought something."

He reached down into his case as Solrai asked excitedly, "Ooh, what is it?!"

Aloysious pulled out his violin and rosined the bow.

Solrai gasped as Aloysius started to play a soft, romantic tune.

Solrai said nothing, simply listening to him serenade her, preferring to stay quiet until he was done. She shut her eyes, sighed happily, and absorbed the music he was playing. Finally, he was done and he sat back down.

"What do you think?"

"You are so talented....what song was that? Who is the composer?"

Aloysious giggled softly, clutched her hands, and whispered, "I wrote it just for you."

Solrai tried to make a sound, but her excitement was too much. She got up and plunged into his arms.

"Aloysius...I...I...Oh, if I only had some talent I could use to make you something, too..."

"No need, my dear. Being with you is enough for me."

"But...Aloysius...why would you write a song especially for me?"

He leaned in until his face was very close to hers. "I looked and looked for a song to play for you, but none seemed to be good enough. So I wrote a song, especially for you, because...because....because I love you."

Solrai started to cry. "Aloysius...I-"

Suddenly, Aloysius shushed her. He could hear music from the party playing. "Do you hear that, Solrai?"

"Yes..."

He back away from her a small bit. "May I have this dance?"

Solrai laughed and nodded, and the two started to sway in time to the slow beat; and the two realized that they had never felt happier in their entire lives then they did now, together again. Solrai had never felt such joy in her entire life, and Aloysius hadn't felt so warm ever since the day he met Lara; even the happiness he felt when each of his children were born could not compare to how he felt with this woman he was deeply in love with. He felt like he could just burst with the emotion inside him.

The song ended just as his train of thought ended, and he held Solrai in his arms. His heart grew warm and his stomach tied into a knot, as the two of them sat back down. Solrai dragged her chair over next to Aloysius's seat, and she put her head on his shoulder as they held each other's hands.

 

--------------------------

 

Although he was still worried about Aloysius, Arkcher decided not to think about him and simply enjoy himself. He danced with MK, and assumed his father was outside having alone time with Solrai.

Finally, the pair sat down, tired from moving around so much.

Both of them reached for their drinks and ended up touching each other's hands. MK drew hers away, and cleared her throat. "Uh...what do you think your father is doing?"

"Probably making out with Solrai or something...I wonder when Hamsterking will show up?"

"I don't know. Where did Cheesemaster go?"

"Probably trying to escape from Cheese Woman."

 

---------------------------

 

Well, for the most of the par-tay, he had been running from Cheese Woman, but she eventually caught up with him and forced him to dance with her. And he found it wasn't so bad-as long as she realized they were just dancing as friends.

[Mushroom_king]

After dancing to a couple of songs, Cheesemaster had to sit and take a breather.

"Cheesie, do you know where Dawn is? She was looking for you."

"Oh, I...well, Jakob said-said he's hurt me if he saw me around her again."

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean-"

"Cheese Woman, don't you GET it?!"

She looked at him, surprised.

"Jakob HATES me!"

"But...why?!"

"How should I know..."

"This doesn't have to do with...?"

He sighed and looked at the ceiling. "With my past? But only you and Arkcher-only you two know about that."

"Do you think he's jumping to conclusions based on your occupation?"

"Possibly...hey, I made assumptions based on his. But I was correct on that one."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I found he was a prosecutor and thought, he's probably a big jerk. And he was!"

"Oh, Cheesie. Hush."

"You know it's true! Remember when he nearly murdered me?! Yea, it's happened about 10 times!"

"Cheesie-kun..."

He sighed again. "I'm sorry for lashing out at you. You don't deserve it. Come on. Let's dance some more."

"Alright!!" she said, giggling.

 

Suddenly, someone tapped on Cheesemaster's shoulder. He turned around and gasped of shock to see it was Dawn.

"Dawn!! What...are you doing?!"

"Me and Sterling wanted to see you!"

"But, Dawn..."

"What is it?"

"Jakob said he'd kill me if he saw me around you ever again."

"Oh, he probably didn't mean it."

"Dawn, he's tried to kill me before."

"Are you trying to tell me you don't like me?!"

"No, No! Nothing of that sort! Look, I'll hang out with you if it makes you feel better."

"Yay! And Sterling, too!"

 

-------------------------

 

But Cheesemaster was indeed correct about Jakob's threat. For Jakob was strolling about, looking for Dawn, and saw her with Cheesemaster and became furious; for in the past month or so, he had not been over at The Rabbitt Manor and he had presumed that he had heeded the warning. Apparently not. He knew how to deal with this...but he was afraid of the boy beating him this time. He would not let that happen.

 

It wasn't like Jakob wanted him dead. He simply wanted the boy to leave his family alone, or to leave town, or something-anything so he would never have to see him standing on the street corner, ever again, shouting the headlines in his horrid voice. To Jakob, the sound of him standing on the corner, shouting the headlines, was the most awful sound in the world. He had resorted to holing himself up in his mansion just to avoid it! Yet the rest of his family seemed to like him...except Julia and Richard, who didn't know him very well. Which Jakob saw as a good thing. So he kept a close watch on Dawn from a safe distance just to find a good moment to strike.

 

The moment came sooner then he expected. Just a few moments after he started watching them, he saw the two walk away. He followed them with his eyes and saw them leave out a door! This made Jakob suspicious-his mind flashed back to whe he found the two alone in the graveyard. Something was up.

 

He waited until they walked out the door and walked over. He opened it just a tiny bit and saw them walking over behind a tree. He gasped and walked out and decided to surprise them.

He walked over behind the tree, and without warning jumped out in front of them.

"What are you doing out here, Dawn?! And with THAT no less?" he said as he pointed at Cheesemaster with his walking stick.

"JAKOB!!!" screamed Dawn, pushing him. "You followed us!!!"

"What are you doing out here?" he repeated.

"Me and Cheesemaster went to look for Arkcher's dad!"

"Really. That's a nice cover-up."

"What...?"

"Are you implying something?!" said Cheesemaster accusingly.

"You know very well that I am! And you know what I am implying as well!"

"Do you think me and Dawn came out here to make out or something?!"

"Well, that's one way to put it."

"You're insane!"

"Says the sane boy who sells papers on the street corner."

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THAT?!"

Jakob looked down on him menacingly. "Don't you talk back to me, cheese-boy."

"Is something wrong over here?" said a voice. Aloysius and Solrai peeked through the trees and were examining them.

"ALOYSIUS!!! Arkcher's been looking for you!!"

"Has he..."

"MmmHmm."

"Well...why?"

While Dawn was explaining to Aloysius the situation, Jakob grabbed Cheesemaster by his collar.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from Dawn or else I'd kill you?"

"You did! I tried telling Dawn that! She didn't think you were serious!"

"Oh, I was dead serious."

"Why do you want me dead?!"

"I don't want you dead, so to speak. I want you to stay out of my family's life."

"I'll never do that!!!"

"And why not?"

"One snobby rich man is not going to make me change my mind!"

"Snobby Rich...?" Jakob let go of his collar and went for his throat.

"Dawn, your friend..." said Aloysius, creeping out from behind the tree. Solrai tried to stop him. "You'll get hurt!"

"JAKOB!!!" screamed Dawn.

Aloysius grabbed Jakob and heaved him up, as Cheesemaster gasped for air.

"You don't want to kill me, you say...you don't want to kill me, you say..."

"Let go of me, you lousy inventor! Let go of me!"

Cheesemaster got up, still gasping for breath. Dawn went over and made sure he was alright.

"Jakob, how could you do this?"

"Dawn, I said I didn't want him around you anymore! And you didn't take me seriously?!"

"Of course not! Every other time you've tried to hurt him he made it out just fine!

"I SAID LET GO OF ME!!!!" Jakob took his walking stick and flung it at Aloysius, but Solrai ran over and pushed Aloysius to the ground, dodging the blow.

Solrai got up and started blindly trying to pick a fight with Jakob, a man who was much taller and much more muscular than she was. He looked down on her, menacingly, like he did with Cheesemaster.

"Solrai, please, don't! You'll get hurt!" stammered Aloysius, getting up and trying to stop her.

"Don't you ever strike at him like that!"

"You ought to know your place, woman, before I have to do it for you."

Aloysius looked at him, confused. "Are you saying that you'd-"

Suddenly, Solrai screamed and fell to the ground, after having been struck by Jakob's walking-stick. Aloysius gasped and glared up at Jakob. Cheesemaster and Dawn simply stood aback, not wanting to get involved.

"Did you just strike Solrai with your cane?!"

"Indeed, I did."

Aloysius was trying to keep his cool, and failing. "You DO NOT...EVER...Strike a woman!!! ESPECIALLY for a paltry reason as this!"

"Don't make me send you down with her."

"And I was having such a good time tonight, too...you know, we're going to miss seeing the King himself because of you!"

"Go back on in, then! No need to fight with me!"

"This woman, she's...she's my..." he gulped and said, nervously, "She is my girlfriend! And you just struck her for no reason!"

"Huh! You should have used FORCE to get her to stop, then I would never hit her."

"I'm not like you, Jakob! I don't use force! ESPECIALLY not on a woman!!"

"Hmph," muttered Jakob. "You're weak."

Aloysius picked up Solrai and tried to see if she was conscious. She was just waking up and slowly opened her eyes. Jakob was scowling at him, and then, with a loud huff, walked back inside, slamming the door shut.

"Oh, Solrai...I'm so, so, so sorry our night turned out like this..."

"It's alright, Aloysius. It was enough to spend time with you. Now come on. We'll miss the main event of the party if we stay out here."

Aloysius turned around and saw that Dawn and Cheesemaster had already gone back inside. Aloysius helped her get back on her feet, and taking her hand, went back inside.

 

----------------------------

 

Luckily, they had come just in time as a giant cake Horatio had baked was being set out for everyone in the room, and Hamsterking himself was about to come and greet everyone, and they would be singing the Birthday Song soon.

"Oh, this is exciting!" said Aloysius, who was slowly becoming over-excited. He was not only with the love of his life, but he was about to meet a real king! Well, technically, he had "met" him when he walked in, but he would be celebrating a King's Birthday!

 

----------------------------

 

"...HAPPY HAMSTER BIRTHDAY DEAR HAMSTERKING,

HAPPY HAMSTER BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!" sang Horatio.

Aloysius whispered to Solrai, "He has such a nice voice for a hamster." She nodded in agreement as she put her head on his shoulder.

After everyone clapped, Hamsterking came out and cut the cake and gave a piece to everyone, including Aloysius and Solrai, who went to sit down by themselves.

"What kind of cake is this?" asked Aloysius, as he was about to eat some.

"If you must know...I haven't been one to come to parties the time I've been here."

Aloysius cut open the cake and saw it was partially chocolate and vanilla. "Oh, good!"

Suddenly, he heard a voice that belonged to Arkcher. "Dad!! It's about time I found you!"

"Oh! Arkcher, MK, Kat, Cheesemaster, and PMM too!"

The four teenagers and one midget adult came running towards him and Solrai with cakes in hand. Kat was trying to eat her cake with chopsticks.

PMM got near Aloysius and said in the most sultry voice he could, "Did you and Solrai have fuuuuuuun outside!"

Aloysius and Solrai both turned red and Aloysius stammered, "Uh, well, yes! I did enjoy my time alone."

Solrai said nothing. It was clear to Aloysius she was shy around these other people.

"Come on, you five, get some chairs and sit here."

"Aloysius..." whispered Solrai, "I don't like being around lots of people."

"It's alright. We'll have plenty of time later on!"

Solrai gasped and whispered, "Whatever do you mean?"

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysius said nothing, but rather, he winked at her and giggled. Solrai gasped, but was stopped when Glowurm came over with a menu. "Hey, guys! It's Cannibalism night! Aren't you excited?!"

Aloysius started choking on the piece of cake he was eating, and barely struggled to say, "E-excuse me?!"

"I said, it's Cannibalism night! Here's a menu."

Aloysius opened it up and glanced at it with fright.

"Well, what do you guys want?"

"I'll have what i always get," said Arkcher.

"I'll have the Jake Steak!" said PMM.

"I'll have the Brownie Brownie," said MK.

"The Chinese Chicken Special, please!" said Kat.

"And I'll have a Grilled Cheese," said Cheesemaster.

"Alright. That'll be out in just a few moments."

Glowurm walked away and Aloysius was still suffering from severe shock. "You...you're not going to...?"

"Shush, you'll see." said Arkcher.

The food arrived a few moments later, as said, and as the plates were layed in front of the person who had ordered it, each one got a disgusted look on their face.

After Glowurm left, each person looked at their food, until Cheesemaster broke the silence and said, "I'm not eating this."

"I will," said MK, exchanging her Brownie Brownie for his Grilled Cheese. Cheesemaster then traded his Brownie for the Jake Steak, and PMM traded his brownie for the Chinese Chicken. And all was well; Aloysius breathed a sigh of relief, and then said,

"Kids, me and Solrai...well, we're going to go ahead and leave. Is that fine with you?"

Arkcher swallowed and said, "Uh...sure, but where are you going to go?"

Aloysius looked over at Solrai. "Where do you want to go, Solrai? The town is completely empty by now."

Arkcher took another bite and said, "Go on home. The household servants will be there."

"Oh, son, you want me to take Solrai-"

"Dad, it's fine! It really is. She can stay in the guesthouse and have breakfast in the morning, and she can then take the next flight home. Is that fine?"

Aloysius was unsure, but he got up, took Solrai's hand, and said, "Well, that's perfectly fine. How are we going to get a flight home, though?"

"Horatio's nice enough of a guy to fly you home. Just say you need a designated flyer, 'kay?"

"Alright! I'll see you at home, Arkcher. Oh, and one more thing."

Aloysius walked over to Arkcher and hugged him. "I love you more then any woman in the world."

"I love you, too, Dad."

After Aloysius left, Arkcher turned and saw that Cheesemaster was staring off into space; he seemed sad.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh...it's nothing."

 

--------------------------

 

"Oh My God, is this your son's Mansion?! I heard it was huge, but..."

"Yes...yes. It is quite nice."

She sighed as she wrapped her arms around him. "Where is the guesthouse, Aloysius?"

"The Guesthouse?! Oh, no. Don't talk nonsense. I'll not allow you to sleep by yourself, all alone, in a little house out in the cold! It's quite frightening out there, I'm sure!"

"Aloysius...I can handle it."

"I still won't let you stay all alone out there."

Solrai sighed and took Aloysius's hand as the two simply stood in the Foyer of the mansion.

"So...where will I sleep, then? Where do you sleep, anyhow?"

Aloysius suddenly broke into a sweat. "I-I sleep in the Guest Room," he stammered.

She pulled her face closer to his and whispered, "Is The bed big enough for both of us?"

"Solrai?!" he yelped, breaking from her grip.

"If I'm not sleeping in the guesthouse, then where?"

"You sleep in the bed in the Guest Room. I'll sleep on the floor. That's what a good gentleman does!"

Solrai giggled and sighed. "Are you sure?"

"I'm perfectly sure!"

 

---------------------------

 

The two made their way up to the Guest Room of The Mansion, which was an extension of The Sitting Room. The Guest Room was a small room with a vanity, a nightstand, a bed, and a framed painting of Aloysius painted just for him on the wall. The wallpaper reminded Aloysius of a parlor, with it's stripes and pink color.

Aloysius decided he would change into his sleeping clothes in the Guest Room while Solrai changed in the Sitting Room. Solrai insisted it was fine if they changed in the same room, but Aloysius insisted that such a thing was not right to do, as they were not married. So Aloysius changed into an outfit that looked like his everyday pants and shirt, but it was oversized and he slept in it. Solrai wore an orange slip under her normal dress, and Aloysius gasped when he saw her and she climbed into the bed. Aloysius took one of the blankets and curled up onto the floor.

"Good Night, Solrai. I...I love you."

"I love you, too, Aloysius. If you change your mind, just come up here!"

"I doubt I will," he muttered.

 

----------------------------

 

To make a long story short, they both ended up doing naughty things.

 

---------------------------

 

"I wonder what, and why, my dad decided to go home early with Solrai?"

"I'm not gonna lie, Arkcher. This will probably make you mad, but I'm pretty sure he came here to do naughty things."

[Mushroom_king]

"Hello, Pizza Palace Down The Street? Can I get the guy who took my order last time?" Kat chortled on the phone as Cheesemaster was gasping over how huge Arkcher's Mansion was as Arkcher, MK, and PMM prepared for bed.

"Yea. I'd like some pepperoniiiiiiiii, some M-Rooms, and C-A-N-A-D-I-A-N-space-B-A-C-O-N....hey, do I get to keep the box?"

"Yes."

"Phew," she said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Alright, Ma'am. Will that be all?"

She snickered and said, "We'll see about that."

"Alright. Your pizza will be there within 30 minutes."

"Remember, we never had this conversation," Kat whispered, and she hung up.

"Thanks for inviting us over, Arkcher, but where are we gonna sleep?" asked Cheesemaster.

"DUH." said Kat. "We're NOT sleeping. I ordered enough pizza and MK and PMM are sure to have enough soda and energy drinks to keep us up all night."

"Sounds like a plan!"

"I'm wondering what Dad is doing. Maybe inviting Solrai was a bad idea....PMM, I don't know whether to think you're right or not."

"I'm always right," he muttered.

"Man, I wish I'd purchased a Zeppelin instead of a pizza. Or....GASP!! A Pizza Zeppelin!"

"Or maybe a Led Zeppelin..." said MK.

"Well, Arkcher, where can we have our awesomely epic Sleepover?" asked PMM.

Arkcher thought for a moment and said, "Well, there's our bedroom, there's the ballroom, which I'm not sure why I have one of those, or the Parlor, or the anteroom, which I'm also not sure why I have, or the Billiards Room."

"I say Arkcher and MK's bedroom." said Kat.

"Me too," said Cheesemaster. And the rest agreed.

 

-----------------------------

 

So I guess the whole group just forgot about Aloysius and Solrai; perhaps they assumed that it would be best to not go see what they were doing, as you know how that normally goes.

But when MK and Kat went to the Kitchen to get some Munchies and Energy drinks out of the fridge, they were all out!

"KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!" screamed Kat.

"Looks like we'll have to go to the department store, which is conveniently located in this convenient Eskimo village near the mansion."

"You go tell those other 3 people that I went to get them," said Kat.

 

------------------------------

 

Kat went to the Department store in the Eskimo Town and learned that the energy drinks were on the very top floor. She took her cooler, which had "Human Head" written on the side for unknown reasons, and climbed into the elevator. In the elevator were 2 other people she didn't know.

They didn't look like Eskimos to her, but she said nothing. Instead, she put her other hand in her pocket and ignored the eskimos looking at her cooler. She discovered in her pocket a sandwich from Hamsterking's party. She started eating it and as she chewed it, she asked the eskimo next to her, "Wanna see wha in muh mouf?"

When they said nothing, she glared at them and muttered, "You're one of THEM!!!" and moved as far away from them as possible.

Later on on the trip, she opened her cooler a tiny crack and whispered inside, "Are you okay in there?"

 

And, after doing a million other things, she finally got to her stop and picked up her energy drinks, and somehow made her way back to The Mansion.

 

--------------------------------

 

And they all lived awesomely ever after.

 

OR DO THEY?!

 

 

 

 

[EPIC STAR TREK REFERENCE GO]

[Mushroom_king]

[since when was Lexxyman reading this? awesome...]

 

[Hey, does anyone remember, but didn't CampSoup say a year or two ago that he celebrated Chanukah?]

 

"Campsoup1988?" said a confused Aloysius Ahrroww. "Well, where did you manage to get a name like that?"

"Well, I was born in 1988 at Camp Soup. That's a camp where you learn to make soup. So i guess I'm soup!"

"Disturbing...well, Merry Christmas, anyhow."

Campsoup's ear twitched. His cat ear; He was a cat-boy with beige fur and brown stripes, and his eyes grew wide. He nervously adjusted his orange-yellow scarf, and fingered through his bright green hair.

Aloysius wasn't sure what to say. Had he offended him?

"Oh, I see! Do you not celebrate Christmas?!"

Campsoup grabbed his head and laughed. "Well, if you didn't already notice, well, no."

"Oh, I see. Are you Jewish, then?"

"Yes! Yes. That's the one!"

"Oh well, then; Happy Chanukah."

PMM groaned and threw his head back as he groaned for an incredibly long time. The holidays were just two weeks away. All he wanted was video games, as always.

 

As for Campsoup...

 

Campsoup1988 was a character who arrived out of nowhere when you were hanging out somewhere. And when you were there, you would see him a lot one day, and he wouldn't be there tomorrow. That was because CampSoup1988 was a traveller-he came from a planet called Lyvecher, a planet where people were named after the year and place they were born, and had no permanent homes but rather would travel and take up temporary residence in the place they were traveling too. As a result, Lyvechians were very well-travelled people, but were seen as odd on most other planets, since most planets the residents had permanent homes, such as the one you and I live on. That's pretty much the gist of it. He liked to play the acoustic guitar and use a laptop. In fact, as the group introduced the traveller to Aloysius-they decided that since CampSoup was currently residing at Mt. Jazzeh it was the perfect opportunity for Aloysius to meet him-Campsoup had one of those Laptop slings on his chest as he typed away at his laptop. His guitar was strapped to his bag and slung around his waist was a bag stuffed with stuff. He wasn't wearing a coat but he didn't seem cold; Aloysius assumed it was his fur, but it wasn't the thickest fur ever. Maybe he just enjoyed the cold.

Very similar to me, thought Aloysius. Aloysius was an Apollonian elf, an elf of the Sun, and Apollonian elves are always warm. Some people complemented Aloysius on his warmth when they hugged him, but since the only people who really hugged him were Solrai (also an Apollonian elf) and Arkcher (half-Apollonian, plus he was used to it), no one really noticed.

Arkcher himself, as I said, was only half Apollonian. He unfortunately had not inherited the quality of not requiring a coat; doesn't matter, though. The school he had gone to back home in Montreal, the uniforms they issued that Arkcher still wore were very warm since Canada is quite a cold place.

Mushroom_king and PMM were both well-adjusted to nearly any kind of weather, but that didn't stop them both from wearing heavier coats that were matching shades of green.

As for Kat and Cheesemaster, our other two main characters, we'll get to them later as they were not present when Aloysius met CampSoup. Kat was back at hamsterdam probably getting drunk and Cheesemaster was back at the Port of Cheese probably selling papers.

 

So that's our main characters, and their new Winter outfits. But they didn't have time to worry about outfits. Everyone on Invision was worrying about the Holidays and what to get their friends. Especially Horatio-or, as he was known around this time, Horatio Claus. He was busy getting pictures with C.C. Edna, Shopper, Serafina, and the other younger children of Invision at the shopping malls and buying presents for everyone and spreading good cheer. He made sure that everyone was happy, including residents such as XMyOwnMindX and Topazia, who were normally...well, not so cheerful. When it came to holiday spirit, Horatio was Number One. The Invisionists agreed that Horatio made their Invision lives a hundred times better, and that Christmas (and Chanukah) were even more fun with him around.

 

"It was wonderful to meet you, Campsoup! It's fine if I call you that, right?"

"Of course. Everyone calls me that."

"How long will you be staying here at Mt. Jazzeh? You know, you can stay at my son's mansion if you want to."

CampSoup gulped and looked at Arkcher to see if he had any doubt in his eyes. He seemed uncaring. You never could tell how Arkcher felt unless he talked. So CampSoup simply said,

"Oh, don't worry. I'm fine! i really am!"

PMM laughed, but MK spoke. "You'll be saying that when we pick your frozen dead body out of the snow."

"Hey, I'm fine. I've travelled all my life. I know what I'm doing."

"Travelled all your life? Whatever do you mean?"

CampSoup cleared his throat. "You don't know about Lyvecher?"

"Lyvewhat?"

CampSoup sighed and rubbed his brow.

Arkcher was blushing and messing with his tie nervously. MK and PMM were laughing.

"Daad. Your earthiness is showing."

"My what?"

MK was trying hard to not bust out laughing. "No wonder the kids back at home in Dreamtopia think Earth People are dumb. Do they not teach you about other planets?"

"Well of course not," said PMM. "They don't know about those other planets."

"Oh, silly! They know about their own Solar System. They don't quite see the importance in those planets, though."

"Because they don't use Magic quite as much as we did at home!"

Aloysius was sweating even harder now as CampSoup desperately explained to him about Lyvecher.

"...Yes, their technology....remember the field trip we had? Their technology was incredibly far behind ours."

"I never saw Cars that huge before."

"Remember all the smoke coming out of the cars?"

"And all the stares we got because they thought we were dressed funny."

"It wasn't so bad when we went to Europe, but it went downhill when we went to those developing countries."

"I've never heard of such a thing as a "developing country" happening on any other planet."

"Except Earth."

 

"....And that is why I am a traveller," said CampSoup in a single breath and MK and PMM continued laughing amongst themselves as Arkcher got onto them.

"Stop insulting my planet, you...um...Planet-ists! Is that what you would call them? Whatever....your planet is NOT high and mighty just because of your technology and clean environment!!"

Aloysius scratched his head and tapped Arkcher on the shoulder. He stopped arguing with MK long enough to listen to his father. "Yea, Dad?"

"Do you have any books on the other planets and such of the universe? I was curious when I came here, but now I absolutely must learn more!!"

"It's alright, dad! I have an encyclopedia in the Study. It's an "electronic book", a technology introduced to me when I came here. It's updated whenever there's new information. But it's an expensive technology. They only use it for encyclopedias and dictionaries." He turned and grimaced at MK. "See? Not all this alien stuff is so high-tech. You still got ways to go."

 

[i happen to really like this chapter.]

[Mushroom_king]

As the four were about to go back inside, Aloysius went up to Campsoup and put his hand on his shoulder. "Campsoup, please, I can't stand to leave you out in the cold to fend for yourself. You never know what could happen in the mountains. Like Mushroom_king said, It'd be terrible to find your dead body or what's left of it out in the cold."

CampSoup was about to reject the offer when the strangest shock went up and down his spine. A voice said, Go on, accept his offer. and nothing more.

CampSoup was in a state of shock as he got this internal message, and then shook his head, smiled, and nodded at Aloysius. "Alright. I think I'll stay, if just for tonight. But where will I sleep?"

"Well, we'll decide that for ourselves when we get inside!"

 

-------------------------------

 

CampSoup decided he would stay for the night and got the choice of sleeping in either the Sitting Room on the couch, or in the Telephone Room, also on the couch.

"If you stay in the Telephone Room," explained Arkcher, "You'll have to deal with the possibility of random phone calls in the middle of the night. Not only that, but one of the Mordred siblings, Lucius, lives in the telephone room. He's kinda grouchy, a no-nonsense kind of guy, Listens to Jazz, and wears a lot of bottle-green clothing. He works by answering the phones for us."

"I'd like to have some company, even if he is kind of grumpy. I love having someone to talk to."

"But you could talk to me," whined Aloysius.

"Oh, I know! But you know, it's not every day I get to talk to a Mordred!"

"But my father is a universal celebrity, or at least according to Wannabe Film Maker her is."

"Uh..." CampSoup grabbed his head and blushed. "Well-I get plenty of chances to talk with you, Aloysius. And they are all great honors!"

CampSoup expected Aloysius to get angry with him, but he simply smiled and said, "I understand."

The two of them laughed, but Arkcher was less than thrilled. "And, CampSoup, how do you plan to repay me for being sooooo very kind and allowing you to lodge ay my house?"

CampSoup stopped laughing, turned toward him, and gasped, "Payment?"

Aloysius also gasped, and then got serious. "Arkcher Apollo Ahrroww, You don't pay a friend to spend the night! You two are friends, right?"

Arkcher stuttered, "Well-I-We-"

"NO WORRIES!!!" said a joy-filled CampSoup. "I cook a MEAN bowl of your choice of soup! THAT will be my payment!!"

Arkcher and Aloysius both were surprised and taken aback by his sudden joy, but they accepted his offer anyhow.

"And, if your computer breaks down, I'll be sure to fix it! Valid next time it breaks, be it a decade from now! But if I die then the offer's void."

Aloysius giggled and said, "Alright, then. Well, my son ought to show you your way to the Telephone room-IF he is nice enough to-and later on we'll be eating dinner and then go to bed. Could you fix us some of your soup for that?"

"I definitely can!! I could even make it for Breakfast if you want."

"Oh, Uh, that's oh-so-kind of you but we won't need that! But thanks anyway!"

"Are you sure? Tell me if you change your mind."

"Alright, I will."

 

--------------------------------

 

"Oh My Goodness! This really IS the greatest bowl of soup I have ever had!"

Aloysius had just been given his bowl of soup that CampSoup had made for him and everyone else. It was nice and warm with chicken flavor, and for everyone except MK, carrots were in the mix as well. And it was delicious. Aloysius wanted to slurp the whole thing down, but of course such a thing is not good ettiquette. So Aloysius was forced to painfully sit and eat his soup in a proper manner, but he made it a little better by savoring every spoonful.

 

After everyone finished their share and CampSoup fixed up a whole round of seconds, they decided it was a good time to go to bed. And it seemed like the night would be normal. And for the most part, it was.

 

--------------------------------

 

"My Goodness," muttered Cheesemaster as he pulled the lapels of his new coat nearer together in an attempt to get warmer. "We've never had this kind of weather here at The Port of Cheese," he muttered into his new scarf and he grabbed today's batch of newspapers, with his hands that had new gloves on them.

He was right-The Port of Cheese, being an oceanside town, normally just got cooler weather in Winter. It never snowed, until this year. Cheese Woman had bought Cheesemaster a black trench coat, a brown scarf, and brown gloves to help keep him warm. Despite the bitter cold, he still managed to get out every day and stand on the corner of the square and sell papers. He nearly dropped them in shock at the headline.

 

"GIANT AVALANCHE TRAPS ARKCHER, FAMILY, AND CAMPSOUP1988 AT MOUNT JAZZEH-ALL TELEPHONE LINES AND INTERNET CONNECTION LOST-RESCUE TEAMS SEEING IF THEY CAN GET HELP TO THEM"

 

He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't make anything out. My Best friend! Arkcher!! MUSHROOM!!! he thought desperately. Arkcher, Mushroom_king, CampSoup, Aloysius, Paper Mario Master, GameChamp, Rudolph (CampSoup's sanity), Sean, Julian, and all the Mordreds were trapped inside the Mansion with no contact to the outside world! This was just plain awful, and Cheesemaster nearly fainted at the thought that he would have to tell people this awful, awful news. But he picked up the stack, payed for them, and walked out to his street corner. His footprints he had made from standing there yesterday had vanished under a brand-new blanket of snow. He walked over, shivering, and marveled at the fact he could see his breath. He normally only saw this sort of weather when he was visiting Hamsterdam for the Holidays, or when he visited Arkcher and MK any time of the year. He normally sat his papers on the sidewalk, but because of the snow he had to hold them, which after a while became very tiring, especially on days where few people were buying them. He hated those sorts of days-the papers became useless the next day, so he couldn't resell them. And, seeing as this was his only occupation, it meant less money for him. And selling papers didn't rake in a whole lot of cash, either.

 

Like every other day, the first person to come up to him was Cheese Woman, who had also taken measures to be warmer. She, too, had gloves (but hers were black) and a pink scarf. You couldn't tell by looking, but her enormous, ruffly dress was made of warmer material than usual. She gave him a tight hug, but the smile melted away from her face when she read the headline.

"Oh My God! This is awful. I hope they weren't hurt..."

"Hope they weren't hurt, I hope that some help arrives before they starve to death."

"Don't talk like that! That boy has to feed not only himself but his wife, his father, his two adopted sons, and God knows how many servants. How many Mordreds live there, anyhow?"

Cheesemaster sighed but didn't answer. "I wish there was something I could do...Arkcher's my best friend, after all. I'd say I could pray for him, but you know very well-"

"CHEESEMASTER!!!" yelled a voice that he recognized as Dawn's. He looked, and unusually, none of the adults were with her today. Only Sterling. Dawn was wearing a longer dress, but you couldn't tell because she also had a longer coat. Sterling, too, had a longer dress and a coat that was far too big on her.

 

Dawn reached into her coat pocket, pulled out .500H$, and bought a paper for herself and Sterling. She gasped at the bad news on the cover, and again panicked about them starving or freezing, but then brought up another point:

"And Christmas is next week!! If they're still trapped by then..."

[Mushroom_king]

As The Rabbitts and The Masters were worrying about their friends living up on the Mountain, the aforementioned friends were also worrying about what they would do.

 

"None of the phones work, said CampSoup as he thundered down the stairs. "Me and Lucius already tried calling for help."

Arkcher was typing frantically at the computer. "I can't get an internet connection. We're trapped here."

"Oh, No..." whispered MK. She was sitting in the corner with PMM and Aloysiys trying to comfort her.

"D-Don't worry," stammered CampSoup. "I-I'll help us get through this. The first thing we need to do is see exactly how much snow is out there. If we work together we might be able to do something."

MK spoke up. "I think we have a snow shovel in the storage room."

"Alright. Let's go get it, and see what we can do."

 

-----------------------------

 

MK and CampSoup walked from the Parlor where they had been situated at first to the BallRoom, and then to the storage room (The storage room was attached to the ballroom if you didn't assume so already). It was mostly crates and extra chairs, along with a mirror, a mop and bucket, and the room was dimly lit by a single lightbulb. But no snow shovel in sight.

"I-I think it might be in the cellar," said a frightened MK. She prayed that they hadn't thrown it out.

 

They had a long walk all the way down to the Basement floor. The cellar was dark, cramped, and musty, with many shelves full of old junk, and tons of dust everywhere. This was where one of the Mordreds, Tortune, slept. But that didn't matter. Sitting on a shelf was a giant snow shovel, made of plastic. CampSoup grabbed it off the shelf, and blew the dust off it. "Let's see what we can do. Get a heavy coat."

 

----------------------------

 

CampSoup went to the Foyer of the Mansion, the shovel in one hand, and carefully opened the door. Instantly a flood of snow fell in. Arkcher would not be pleased, but he decided to ignore it for now as he would take care of it later.

The thought arose as to where he would put the snow he shoveled. He thought putting it behind him, but of course that would trap him. He was frightened that perhaps he would shovel too much and the snow would cave in and suffocate him. But then he remember everything he had been taught about what to do in these situations and decided to get to work. He shoveled away some snow just enough to create a small area, and decided to work his way up. But he would need a sort of platform if he wanted to do that. He would either have to go back inside, or maybe even build a tunnel. Such a thought tickled his imagination. A snow tunnel-that really would be great, he thought.

 

He eventually decided to go back inside, to get a platform.

Arkcher, as he thought, was furious about the snow in the Foyer, but Aloysius was busy evaluating the state of the problem.

"The entire roof is covered in snow, which means the snow is at least that high. CampSoup, you're going to be digging a long-"

"Of course! I'll start digging from the Roof!"

"So this mess you made is going to go to waste?!"

"Son, it'll melt..."

"And leave a big stain!"

CampSoup didn't hear the rest of the conversation as he was running as fast as he could up to the Roof.

 

CampSoup's mind turned back to the morning. He'd still be stuck in the Telephone Room if there hadn't been a small patch on the balcony (which you had to walk through to get downstairs) that had only a minmal amount of snow do to a patch where it was shaded by a bit of the roof. So he could dig through that snow with his hands and feet and get downstairs. Not a problem.

 

Another thought then came into his mind: Where are those giant novelty lighters when you need them?

 

------------------------

 

Eventually, CampSoup trudged up to the roof. It really was covered in snow, and of course more snow fell into the mansion when he opened the door to the roof. But he was determined to get help. He knew of a woman who lived on Mt. Jazzeh who could definitely help them; her, and Mega Wolf, who you may remember from very early on in the story. The two of them would be of a big help in making sure they would arrive in Hamsterdam for Christmas and Chanukah next week.

 

CampSoup tried to remember the date. Today was December 18th. Chanukah started on the 22nd, and of course Christmas was the 25th. They would have to be there at least by the 21st...that was only three days away! He'd have to shovel quickly. He shoveled piles of snow bigger then what he could handle at first, until he decided it was smarter to start small and work his way up.

 

Hours passed as he tried digging his way through the snow. It was incredibly tiring, and despite trying to not give up hope, he ended up doing so after digging for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality it had been about five hours. He was about to go back home, but he realized something.

 

"I'm lost," he whispered. "I'm LOST!!" he screamed. He sat down in the snow and was about to cry until he heard someone's footsteps. He looked and in a path he had not dig through was a tall woman with a short, purple bob haircut that ended in curls. Her face was stoic, and her entire body was framed by a long, violet coat with pure white fur trim. Her shirt and pants were also violet, and around her neck was a purple gem. Next to her eyes were tiny symbols that looked like a lowercase h, but it wasn't-it was the symbol for the planet Saturn. It was Mastermind, the woman he had been looking for.

"Mastermind!! I've been looking for you," said CampSoup s he got on his knees and kneeled.

"I know. I sensed your hopelessness and came to see what was wrong; but really, there is no need to kneel like that." Her voice, like her face, was stoic and unemotional.

"I'm sorry."

"What was it you needed?"

"As you know, next week are the Holidays and I, along with the family in the Mansion, have to go to celebrate."

"As do I."

"But as you can see, we're trapped by the snow. Is there any way possible that you could help us?"

Mastermind thought for a moment. The woman was a very powerful psychic, and CampSoup thought perhaps she could telepathically send an SOS to their friends in another city.

"I might be able to do something. Here. I'll help you back to the Mansion."

 

--------------------------------

 

The group plus Mastermind sat down at the table in The Dining Room to see what Masterind could do for them. But not without first introducing her to Aloysius.

"Dad, this is Mastermind," said Arkcher.

"With a name like that I'd assume that she's incredibly intelligent?"

"Not in the way I am, but yes. She's an extremely powerful psychic."

"Oh, I see."

"And remember earlier when MK said that Earth people don't know the importance of the planets in their Solar System?"

"Yes?"

"Well...how to put this, how to put this..."

CampSoup spoke up: "Each planet in your solar system has a spirit living inside it. And Mastermind is the spirit of the Planet Saturn. It's soul, if you will."

A few months ago Aloysius would have been shocked, but he'd gotten used to these odd things by now. He simply nodded.

"But why is only one living here? Why not bring all of them?"

"That," said Mastermind, "Is a very complicated and lengthy story. And it is not something to be worried about right now. Right now we are concerned with what we will do about the problem that has struck you."

[Mushroom_king]

[ Please keep writing... you have a way of leaving us hanging! ]

[> Mwahahahahah]

 

"The problem that quite literally struck us," mumbled PMM. Mastermind ignored him.

"Did you have any ideas as to what you think I could do for you?"

"I-I-Uh, I was thinking that perhaps you could send a telepathic message to someone in Hamsterdam or the Port of Cheese or anywhere."

Mastermind shut her eyes and thought for a moment. "Anyone can receive a telepathic message, but another psychic would get the message much clearer, and due to the dire nature of this situation, we will need to send my message to another psychic."

"Another psychic? Are there more psychics living here?"

"Yes," said MK. "There's a young orphaned boy named C.C. Edna, a young girl named Shopper, a princess called NeoDudette, and that's it I think."

"I think NeoDudette is the best choice," said Mastermind. "A young child such as Edna and Shopper are not only inexperienced psychics, but they might panic if they receive such a message I intend to make."

"Alright, then. Are you going to send the message?"

"As experienced of a psychic I am," said Mastermind, "I cannot send a telepathic message loudly and clearly like this. I need a good place where my mind can be clear."

"How about the astronomy room?" suggested Arkcher. "That's the room that we use to look at the sky on clear nights. And attached to it is a little place we call the Astrology Corridor; it's brimming with magic power. I don't know about Psychic power, but-"

"PSI and Magic are two very different things. But I digress, as I also know a small bit about magic; but of course I am not as good with Magic as I am with PSI. I shall try out your astrology hall."

"Corridor, Mastermind, Corridor..." mumbled PMM.

 

--------------------------

 

Mastermind walked into the Astrology Corridor. The walls were a light blue with gold trim, and the marble floors were the same blue with enormous gold stars and regular intervals. On the ceilings there was a painting of each Zodiac sign, and a star was in front of each. Each star had five tall candlesticks rising from each point. Even a non-magic user could feel the enormous energy flowing in the area. Mastermind looked up at them to find the sign which Saturn was affiliated with, which was Aquarius. She finally situated herself on the star in front of it, and the five candlesticks somehow lit by themselves with purple flames. Mastermind reached into her pocket and pulled out a medium-sized purple orb with the Saturn symbol on it. She set it on the floor an got down on her knees. She clasped her hands together, and held her fingers out (BAD ANALOGY TIME!!!! The same way you do when you're doing shadow puppets and you make a bird.), and the orb began to glow and set itself in between her fingers. She shut her eyes, and it seemed she was praying. In reality she was sending the meditating, preparing for sending the message. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, and drew her hands away from each other as the orb floated and glowed by itself. She then began the message as she stared at it:

NeoDudette, this is Mastermind. I am sure you have heard of the horrid disaster that has happened on the mountain. I urgently request that you send help to free them from the snow prison that they have been engulfed in. The situation is dire. Please help!!

And she then took the orb, got up, and breathed a heavy sigh. The candlesticks burned out, and she walked back over to the others.

 

--------------------------

 

Meanwhile, on the manmade islands of Adstar...

 

A tall, curvy young woman was standing in her home, which was the largest of the homes on Adstar. She wore a form-fitting, striped lavender dress and had long black hair and big eyes. In her black hair was a silver headband. This was NeoDudette, a princess from the planet Neolina, a planet of people who freely travel through space and time at will. From what she had heard, when she came to Invision it had caused quite a stir back home and everyone assumed that she had gotten lost in an undiscovered dimension. She wondered if they still thought that, but she had no time to think, as her mind suddenly picked up a telepathic message from a voice she had not heard in some time: Mastermind, a woman she did not know very well but she knew she had the same powers of space and time that she did, and that she was the spirit of the planet Saturn from the Milky Way galaxy. NeoDudette had heard of that Galaxy in a book, and she had read that in Magic it was the planet of, what else, the elements Space and Time. She'd personally never been there, as from what she had learned the only habitable planet thus far was a place called Earth. From what she had learned they were over a thousand years behind other planets in technology, but she was shocked to learn that they had not even discovered any other planets besides their own that had life. NeoDudette found this incredibly shocking, and she had heard people whisper that they could only send a person to their own moon, and that the humans there thought they were higher and mightier then the wild creatures of their world.

 

What was probably the second-worst thing she had heard about this place called Earth, was that not only did the humans there think they were better then the wild animals, but there were some humans who thought they were better then other humans just because other humans were a different color or gender or came from a different part of the world or because of their religion and sexuality. She refused to believe this when she first heard it.

And what of the worst thing she had heard? The worst thing she ever heard was that there were Humans who thought that the Earth was a thing given to them to destroy. This appalled her! Planets were not things. Every planet in the whole Universe had a soul inside of it, and when you destroyed that planet you destroyed that soul too. If you killed a planet, you were a murderer. A soul of a planet...that was what Mastermind was. And what shattered NeoDudette's thought was when she asked Mastermind if all the awful rumors about Earth were true. Mastermind said that the spirit of Earth ("Her name is Gaia. She's a very nice woman." was the way she had put it) had gotten deathly ill over the past several decades as the people of Earth continued to destroy her. Some of the Humans learned to take care of the Earth but those people were either frowned upon, or had no idea what they were doing.

 

But enough of that-it's not even relevant to this story. NeoDudette was lost in thought when Mastermind was communicating with her. Hearing her voice for the first time in so long had sent her on the spiel of thought as written above, but she still manage to get all the information. She quickly thought over the situation, and decided that using technology was the way to go. She used her computer (it really was quite a sight, seeing such a traditional-looking princess typing away), and made sure the message got to Hamsterking and Horatio.

[Mushroom_king]

"Dear Hamsterking,

 

As you may very well know there has been a disaster at Mount Jazzeh. I urgently request that you send help as soon as possible if you are not already doing so now.

 

Sincrely,

NeoDudette"

 

Horatio and Hamsterking didn't get the message; they didn't get it because they were already taking action. Horatio had climbed in his airplane and they were using giant snowmobiles and hundreds of hamsters using snow shovels to dig the family out of their house.

 

"I wonder what that is?" wondered Aloysius. The family had settled down in the Dining Room for some soup and hot chocolate-there is nothing better on cold days. "I hope that's someone helping to dig us out," moaned PMM. "It's only been a day but it seems like eternity."

"I feel the same," mumbled CampSoup. "I really hope we make it in time for the Holiday par-tay."

"Don't worry, we will. Just remain optimistic." said Aloysius cheerfully. He then ate his soup, neatly as usual.

 

If you haven't already comprehended the vast amount of snow that had engulfed the Mansion, I will explain it to you. The Mansion that Arkcher owned is huge. Aside from the Mansion itself there is the Guesthouse, the Courtyard, and a Tennis Court. This entire estate (no one is quite sure where Arkcher got the money to build the house, though some believe that the Kat Mafia helped out.) spans...quite a few square feet. It is big.

 

Horatio had gotten roughly 7 snow-mobiles to help get snow out of the way. Over 50 normal-sized hamsters were shoveling away (not much progress there...) and over 23 "Giant" species of Hamsters were using snow shovels to shovel through the snow. And it still took them several hours to dig them out. Horatio was no scientific genius but he could tell there was probably over a half a mile of snow covering the house. He knew it would take a very long time, but not so long they would miss the Christmas par-tay. So he worried about nothing.

 

---------------------------

 

Cheesemaster, on the other hand, was worried about something; namely, Kat.

 

He and Cheese Woman had gone to Hamsterdam to start their last-minute Christmas shopping at the Hamster Mall, and of course Kat was causing a ruckus. Right now she was in the Mall's coin fountain with a snorkel, an inner tube, water wings, and flippers.

"Kat, what are you doing?!"

"I'm scuba diving!"

"Well, you better get out of there. They're already mad that you freed every pet in the pet store, stole the DDR machine at the Arcade, tuned every TV in Electronics to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", and when you dressed up like the Easter Bunny, walked up to Santa, and told him that this town wasn't big enough for both of you. We came here to get Presents, Kat, not to mess around! Besides, don't cats hate water?"

"Cats hate water. Kats love water."

Cheesemaster sighed. "Would you watch my bags?"

"Did you buy my presents already?"

"No."

"Awwww. But I got yours! I got you a-"

"You're not supposed to TELL me!!!"

"Oh, yeah...I almost forgot."

Cheesemaster groaned again, but didn't say anything; he simply walked off.

 

 

 

[This is the THIRD time I re-wrote this.]

[Mushroom_king]

As stated, Horatio managed to get Arkcher's family and CampSoup out of their snowy prison. After a brief celebration, they all went on the next plane to Hamsterdam. Tomorrow was the 23rd, the eve of Christmas Eve. CampSoup was already upset because they had had to celebrate the first day of Chanukah at the Mansion, but the Ahrrowws managed to make it special for him. That was all that mattered.

 

"Don't forget the presents!" Arkcher yelled to his father. "And no peeking!"

"Alright, I won't!" he said joyfully.

 

---------------------------

 

When the group had landed in Hamsterdam, they called Kat and Cheesemaster right away. The two of them were incredibly overjoyed that their friends were finally safe and freed.

"Did you bring Sean and Julian along?" asked Cheesemaster.

"We sure did," said MK. The two boys had been stuck at the Mansion with no exciting adventures for several months, and MK always brought them to the Holiday celebration. They were eager to see Horatio Claus, as well as be able to play with some other children their age-in fact, they got this chance just now when they saw a boy and girl (plus Serafina) who were drastically different in appearance. The girl was happy and waving, but the boy was somber and depressed, and shivering. The girl's name was Shopper. The boy's name was C.C. Edna.

 

Sean and Julian let go of Arkcher and MK's hands and ran over to see their friends. The four talked for a little bit before the twins grabbed the arms of the other two and dragged them over to Aloysius.

 

Aloysius kneeled down, just a few inches above the snow-covered ground, so he could look eye-to eye with the children.

Sean put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Edna! Shopper! This is my daddy's daddy. His name is Aloysius."

Shopper giggled. She wore a pink shirt, a fluffy pink coat, and a pink skirt. Her blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she had big, sparkling eyes. She gave Aloysius a hug, but then gasped. "Mister, you're all warm!"

Aloysius laughed. "I know! I don't have to wear a coat!"

"I'm jealous."

Aloysius sighed and looked over at the somber boy next to her. He was wearing a wrinkled, oversized blue striped shirt, tattered brown pants, a worn cap, and some worn-out suspenders hanging by his sides. This was C.C. Edna. He had the most awful look of sorrow in his eyes and face, that even all the Christmas spirit around him couldn't bring Aloysius up after looking at him. Just one glance into those eyes made him feel that same sadness and grief.

"Edna?"

He slowly lifted his head up and looked At Aloysius. From under his cap he could see brown, curly hair. He said nothing.

"What's wrong?"

Aloysius tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but he pulled away and looked at the ground again.

He heard Arkcher's voice from behind him. "Dad! It looks like a lot of people are here for the party a few days early. Come on!"

"Not now," he muttered as loud as he could without potentially frightening the child. He was shivering and looking at the ground.

"Edna, please tell me what's wrong."

Edna grabbed his shoulders and shivered some more. If Aloysius had a coat he would have let the boy wear it.

Aloysius got so caught up in trying to interact with him that he didn't notice Serafina. "He doesn't talk."

Aloysius snapped his head and looked at Serafina. His shorts had been replaced by a pair of long pants. He noticed he had even more bruises from getting beat up by pretty women.

"Oh?"

"Yea, I've tried a hundred times before."

Aloysius turned to look but saw Edna had run off. What was going on?

"What do you know about him?"

"Not much...ask someone else!"

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysius was walking away to see what Arkcher wanted when he stopped, turned around, and looked at Serafina. "You want to come with me?"

Serafina giggled and jumped into the air. "I'd love to!"

Serafina ran toward him and the two held hands the whole way.

 

"Hi, Dad! There's a lot of people you gotta meet!" said Arkcher. He looked down at Serafina. "Oh, Hi, Serafina." he muttered. As I had stated earlier on, he didn't like Serafina because of his perverted personality. But he decided that if he just kept Serafina away from any hot women, he'd be OK. Unless Serafina regarded Kat and MK as being sexy, which in that case he was screwed. But he didn't think Serafina would have the hots for MK. She was very plain looking, with her plain face and chin-length hair. Kat was alright, but she was a cat.

 

Aloyisius picked Serafina up and held him. "Who was it you wanted me to meet?"

"Well, before we meet anyone, you wanna eat some pre-Christmas dinner dinner?"

"I'd love to," he said. "I assume it's at Planet Horatio?"

"How'd you know. But there's also a new Breakfast place in town that TheBreakfastMonkey started, and of course there's Fried Dragon palace, but Fried Dragon palace isn't an appetizing name."

"I considered naming it 'Al Gore's Chinese Restaurant,'" said Kat.

 

Just for the holidays, Planet Horatio had put outdoor seating. It had just snowed, but only about an inch, maybe an inch and a half. It as good Christmas weather. Oh, and there were some of those outdoor heaters, so you weren't as cold.

The group sat down at a Table, except Kat, who put a Santa hat on one of the horns of her Viking helmet and said she'd be serving them.

The group had decided to order, and was about to pay when they heard an unfamiliar female's voice.

"Aloysius Apollo Ahrroww, aged 47, an Appolian elf, married to Lara Lie Ahrroww, aged 53, father of Derringer Richard Ahrrow, aged 21, Sharona Nacki Ahrroww aged 19, Mint Corina Ahrroww aged 17, and Arkcher Apollo Ahrroww aged 16."

Aloysius turned around to see a tall, thin girl with Silver Fox's ears and tail, short blue hair, a tight silver shirt with a blur star, suspenders, baggy pants, goggles, and black gloves. Near her feet was a Golden Fox.

Aloysius looked at her and asked, "How did you know all that?"

She laughed quietly, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a brown leather object. "Stole your wallet" and with that, she started bounding away, with the Golden Fox at her heels.

"G-Give that back, Thief!!" said Aloysius, getting up and preparing to run after her.

"DAD," said Arkcher sternly.

"That girl just stole my wallet! You expect me to just sit here?"

"She'll return it. It's happened to me before."

Aloysius turned around and huffed. "Who does she think she is?"

"That'd be The Teen Silver Eye Fox, a silver-furred blue-haired acrobatic thieving expert. And that fox with her was The Golden-Eye Fox, her partner."

"How did she manage to take my wallet?! It's been in my pants pocket this whole time."

"Beats me, but she'll probably get bored and you'll somehow get it ba....how the #### did your wallet get in my breast pocket?"

 

 

[Whoever finds the James Bond, Tokyo Mew Mew, and The Knack references gets a cookie. But you must find all three. And an extra one if you can find the reference in Derringer's name.]

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher, MK, Aloysius, and PMM were staying in a hotel in Hamsterdam. It was about 7 in the morning when PMM shook MK awake, who shook Arkcher awake, who shook Aloysius awake.

"Dad!! Wake up! It's Christmas!!!"

"It is?! Well Merry Christmas then! What are we doing first?"

"We have to go to Planet Horatio. Everyone is opening presents during breakfast there!"

"Alright, then. You did bring the gifts, didn't you?"

"Of course! I would never forget."

 

-----------------------------

 

When they got to Planet Horatio, the entire place was bursting with cheer. Schimmislick was on stage singing Holiday music, Who Are You was making Trees and Snow appear with her magic, and decorations were everywhere. And CampSoup was lighting a Menorah, and then teaching the younger children how to play a dreidel. And Kat and Glowurm were incredibly busy giving Eggnog and pancakes to everyone. Jesusfreak, Topazia, and Taynio were reading from a Bible. Everyone else was talking with their friends.

"Come on, there's Dawn and Vanilla," said MK. "Let's sit there."

Arkcher looked around. "Where's Cheesemaster?"

"Over there," giggled PMM. Cheese Woman was wearing a special Christmas dress, with green, white, and red ruffles. She was standing underneath the doorway were there was mistletoe, and was trying to coax Cheesemaster to go over there. But he knew what she was up to, and went over to his friends instead.

 

"Hi, guys. Merry Christmas!" said Cheesemaster.

The group (except Aloysius) looked at him funny, and then laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing..."

Aloysius looked at them with a look of confusion, but went along with it anyhow, and they sat down.

"Hi, Dawn. Vanilla."

"Hi, MK!" said the two girls. Dawn reached into her coat pocket and pulled out some Christmas Crackers. "Come on. I grab this end, you grab that end, we pull it and things come out!"

"Sounds dirty, but OK."

MK grabbed one end of the Cracker and pulled as hard as she could. A paper crown came out, along with a slip of paper, and a plastic bag. Arkcher was about to grab the crown, but another hand already got it-Kat's hand. She put the crown on her head, even though she had ten other paper crowns already, and a santa hat.

"You guys want Breakfast?" said Kat, and then she hiccuped. The eggnog was starting to get to her.

"Uh, yes! And some eggnog, please. But no alcohol please..."

"You got it!!" stammered Kat and she staggered off.

"Doesn't she ever get a hangover?"

"I think her body is used to it by now."

 

A few minutes later, a round of eggnog and Pancakes (with Christmas sprinkles) were around the table. After eating, they heard Horatio's voice over the intercom.

"Alright, everyone! Time for presents!!"

Everyone cheered, though the group noticed Arkcher clapped a little yes.

"What's wrong?"

"Why's everyone so excited about presents? I think we should be celebrating the..."

Arkcher went on about family and friends and other good things, while PMM looked up at MK and rolled his eyes.

Arkcher spoke knowing no one would really agree with him. The others all had different beliefs than he did. But that isn't relevant.

 

CampSoup nervously appeared on Stage. "I can't believe it! I've been chosen to hand the gifts out!"

He grabbed the first gift. It was small. "Mushroom_king and Paper mario Master!"

PMM climbed onto MK's shoulders and held his arms up, and CampSoup threw the gift and he barely caught it. He rapidly tore the paper off, and in it was a video game. The name hasn't been disclosed and has been forgotten under all of PMM's games. And out fell a gift card to a music store-for MK.

"Those are from meee!" said Vanilla gleefully.

"Thanks, Vanilla!"

"And next is...to Arkcher!"

Arkcher turned around and a cylinder-shaped package fell by his feet. He opened it and it was a can of peas. He looked at it for a long time and then shouted,

"THIS IS JUST WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED!!!!" He thumped his fist as if to say "Yes".

CampSoup continued to throw gifts out into the crowd. The entire time, Aloysius was getting sadder wondering if Solrai was there.

"And finally, the last gift....to Aloysius!" Aloysius perked up his head as a gift landed on the table in front of him.

From Solrai?

He opened it up and it was a coupon for a free haircut at the hair salon. Aloysius just stared blankly at it.

"From me," huffed PMM.

"Thanks, but I won't be using this anytime soon."

"That's all, I think...wait, there's one more! It's also for Aloysius."

He perked his head up again. A small box went flying across the room and he caught it just in time. He looked at it for a moment and opened it. Inside the box was a slip of paper. He took it out and unfolded it.

"Behind you."

He gasped and looked in the booth behind him. There was Solrai, sitting by herself.

"Solrai!!!" he got up and sat down next to her.

"But wait, how come there's no presents from Kat?" asked Cheesemaster, who had about a hundred presents from Cheese Woman.

Suddenly, the doors swung open and Kat had a bunch of presents. "I did my last-minute shopping!!!"

Everyone groaned. This happened EVERY year.

[Mushroom_king]

Glowurm's story

 

Just one week after Christmas, JUST ONE WEEK, and everyone was in a frenzy again.

What? For New Year's, of course. You know what that meant? It meant that Glowurm would be stuck making drinks like it's no tomorrow.

 

But it wouldn't be that bad. Only a few Invisionists ever went to New Year's; a lot didn't attend the party because of the amount of alcohol, and none of the children were even allowed in. This would be the first year that MK, Hoops, and their friends (Dawn and Vanilla, as you know, but also three of Hoop's friends). Another Invisionist who would be attending this year was a Tiger named Wildcat.

 

Glowurm stood behind the counter at Planet Horatio, washing the glasses, moping. When it wasn't a Holiday, this place had barely any business. Mostly just people like Kat or Roger who came here all the time.

 

Glow wondered about Kat's cover-up for her Mafia. Fried Dragon Palace. Was everyone eating there? Was it even any good? Kat had been using robots (Robot Ninjas to be exact) to staff the place so her Mafia members could do their other jobs. But were they getting any business? Glowurm wondered if Fried Dragon Palace was doing even worse than Planet Horatio.

 

But why was Glowurm caring so much about the place, you ask? Ever since Mushroom_king had moved to Mt. Jazzeh, she'd allowed Glowurm to be the manager. She still owned it, but Glowurm managed it. He'd tried a lot of things to get people to come there. They'd all failed. But the regular crowd, coming in every day, still managed to bring in money.

Glowurm sighed. He'd finished cleaning the glasses. He rummaged around in some drawers until he found some paper and a pen. He decided to write some poetry. First he'd write a Haiku. But what about?

He looked around the place. His eye caught an Invisionist by the name of Hamster Fireball. He was a "Giant Hamster" who had orange fur. He was also a pyro; he constantly had flames around his body. They didn't hurt him though. Everyone just made sure to NOT invite him when they were shooting off fireworks.

"Fire," said Glowurm. "I'll write about fire."

 

"i saw fire once

it engulfs and burns all things

death comes too slowly"

 

Glowurm looked at the paper he had written on. He sighed a heavy sigh, crumbled up his poem, and threw it away. Too dark, he thought. Too dark.

He leaned his head back and looked at the clock. He should be at the Doctor's Office now, talking to his Therapist, Dr. Choc. (Short for Dr. Flippinchocsnappywaffin), but he had decided not to go. He hated going there. And he'd grown to dislike Dr. Choc, too.

Suddenly, a voice broke his train of thought. "You look kind of down, Glow." It was Kat.

"Oh, Hi, Kat."

"I came here to take over for you like I usually do. Don't you have to see your therapist?"

Glowurm sweated nervously. "Yea, but I don't want to go anymore."

"I could cover for you."

Glowurm imagined Kat dressed as him going to see the therapist.

"No, don't do that. Here, want a Jig?"

"Would I ever!"

"Suit yourself!" said Glowurm. He turned around and mixed up the flavors of Jell-O and Root Beer into a red drink. He topped it off with 10 paper umbrellas.

"Thanks, Glow," she purred as she took the martini glass and downed the whole thing. Except the umbrellas. They don't taste that great.

She sighed happily and then purred. "Can I have some Hot Chocolate, too?"

"What do you want in it?"

"a Peppermint stick and no more than 3 1/2 marshmallows."

"Comin' up..."

He got out a warm glass of milk and poured some cocoa in it, mixed it, and put in the peppermint and marshmallows.

"There you go, Kat."

"Are you excited about New Year's?"

"I'd like to take the day off. Do some plundering and pirate music like I did back in The Day."

"All the piratey things?"

"Yea..."

"Well, I can take over for you if you want."

"Will you really do that? But you had plans."

"Yea, I know. But I'll help you out."

 

 

[hope Glow doesn't mind me using his haiku.]

[Mushroom_king]

wurm smiled at Kat.

"I will miss you at the New Year's party, though..." said Kat, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Glowurm got a big grin on his face, but his eyes were a mixture of sentiment and sadness. "Don't worry, Kat...I'll...I'll be there..." and he rubbed her head. The two of them looked deep into each other's eyes, until Glowurm put his elbows on the counter and muttered, "I don't know what or who to do right now..."

Kat blushed and laughed. "Woodstock, maybe!"

"Speaking of...I wonder where he is? He stills lives in Taynio, and...Uh...Well, New Year's will be our Five-Month Anniversary."

"Oh really?! That's awesome. Maybe you should take him with you when you go pirating."

Glowurm laughed. "Eh, maybe."

"Speaking of, who all is coming to the New Year party, anyway? From what I know, only the people who sent a letter back to the establishment were the ones coming. The deadline was yesterday."

"Hold on, I got the list somewhere."

Glowurm started rummaging around in some more things behind the counter.

"Ahhh...Here it is."

Glowurm pulled the list out.

"Hmmm....You, Me, Schimmislick, Arkcher, MK, Cheesemaster, Cheese Woman, Vanilla Star Hamster, Dawn Rabbitt, Hoops Ahshirt, Moosey, Funky Monkey, MullayPop, Hamsterking, Horatio, GAURD101, Roger That, Leguan, The Teen Silver Eye Fox, Graf Von & Cutie Puppet, Kep, Kaei, Aloysius Ahrroww, Serafina Is So Cute!, Wannabe Film Maker, Wildcat OH ARE YOU BORED YET?!"

Glowurm looked from behind his paper and saw a sleeping Kat. Drool poured out of her mouth.

He heaved and threw the paper back into the drawer.

 

----------------------------

 

After his shift was over, Glowurm managed to wake up Kat and she got onto her shift. Glowurm really wasn't sure what to do right now; he was at home, with nothing to do.

He sighed, and decided to write. He grabbed a pen and just let the words flow from him:

 

"Slipping downward, spiralling out of control

I've lost track of my senses. I feel almost nothing

I hear no sounds and I see only black

From the depths of my mind I cry out for help

I shake and I scream, but there's no response

I'm alone in this world, sliding down to die"

 

He glared down at his writing. It was dark, just like the haiku he'd written. He continued to write.

 

"I begin to move faster towards the end goal

I know my journey's fleeting, I feel it in my heart

There's nothing left for me, my emotions flow out

I'm sliding, rushing, spinning, and never stopping

The depth of my agony seems to stretch on forever

I wish it would finish, and yet there's still more"

 

He leaned back in his chair, shut his eyes, and sighed again. Maybe he should go see his therapist.

He got back up and finished the poem:

 

"But then there's a light slicing into my brain

And as I slip faster, I hear some kids shouting

I can feel water splashing against my skin

I can smell chlorine like in a large pool

I start to scream, I don't know what this means

And then I burst free.

 

Water slides are so much fun."

 

He smiled. That was the perfect ending. But it wasn't really a poem. It had structure, but...it just wasn't a poem to him. But he liked it, Dark as it was. But he stashed it in his Treasure Box, a chest that resembled buried treasure. He put the page in the chest and locked it. His therapist would never find it.

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher leaned over to MK while on the plane. "Hey, Mushroom..."

MK looked at him and smiled. "Yes, Arkky?"

He laughed. "Oh, I forgot. I just wanted to hear you call me that name again."

She giggled and put her head on his shoulder. The two of them, along with Aloysius and PMM, were on their way to Hamsterdam for the New Year's par-tay.

In the past few days, the two had developed the habit of making little nicknames for each other. MK had been calling him Arkky, and he'd been calling her Mushroom. It wasn't in a particularly romantic way, though; MK was mainly just "making a name that slid off the tongue easier", was the way she put it. And Arkcher felt awkward calling her MK. PMM didn't believe them when they said this; much like he had with Aloysius and Solrai, he believed the two to be really in love and not just close friends who happened to be in a forced marriage. He'd been right about Aloysius, so he fancied himself being right about this, as well. He glared at them both and huffed.

 

Before they knew it, they had arrived in Hamsterdam. The first thing they did was seek out the hotel they had reserved.

They went up into the room. It was very nice; it had three big beds and a couch that folded out.

"Cool! Free Internet!" said Arkcher.

"Very nice, a built-in kitchen!" said Aloysius.

"Awesome, a TV with plugs for games!" said PMM.

MK glared at The Author. "What about me?"

 

The group decided to head over to Planet Horatio and see who else had arrived. But first, they went to Fried Dragon Palace because Arkcher wanted Rice instead of Planet Horatio's food.

When they went there, they saw big solar panels on the roof and a picture of Al Gore in the window. The name was no longer Fried Dragon Palace, but instead there was a paper banner that read "Al Gore's Chinese Restaurant". It was very sloppy.

Arkcher huffed. "I'm not eating a place with that guy, or any politician for that matter, on it."

"No! Come baaaaaaaack!" cried Kat. "We have nothing to do with him except his picture in the window and we sometimes play his speeches on the speakers!"

They continued walking.

"BUT WE HAVE SNOW PEAS!!!!"

 

----------------------------

 

The group eventually found themselves at Planet Horatio. The regular crowd was there, along with Cheesemaster, Cheese Woman, Dawn Rabbitt, and Hoops. Next to Hoops was a Moose on a Unicycle, a Monkey, and a Human girl with a lollipop.

"Dad, here are some friends I want to introduce to you," he said, pointing at Hoops and her friends.

Aloysius gave a glance at the Moose on the Unicycle, but then ignored it. He thought to himself that he should be used to this by now.

"Dad, you already know Hoops. The girl is Mullaypop."

"Hi," she said. She had a voice dripping with sugary sweetness.

"That's Funky Monkey, and Moosey. You should tell who's who by their names."

The Moose and Monkey both said hello.

"Guys, this is my father, Aloysius Ahrrroww."

"The British inventor!" said Moosey.

"Why....yes, that's precisely it," said Aloysius.

"All four of us are from Florida."

"What's a Moose doing in Florida?" wondered Aloysius.

"A zoo, where else? But it did indeed stink...Funky Monkey was there too, until Mullay broke us out because she went there all the time and we became friends with her. And Hoops, too."

"Me and Hoops went to school together," said Mullaypop. "Hoops had to do a lot to disguise herself."

"I'll bet..." mumbled Aloysius.

[Mushroom_king]

MEANWHILE....

 

A tall, overweight Black man wearing a Doctor's headband, and coat stood sitting in his chair, reviewing his notes from the last meeting he'd had with Glowurm.

 

Let me tell you about my old therapist, Mr. Beal...

 

He sighed as he read what Glowurm had explained to him last week. He had talked to him about a certain man who Glowurm only described as "Mr. Beal", who he had disliked intensely. Why? According to Glowurm, the man hadn't been worried about him one bit; he merely smiled and grinned "Like a madman" during the sessions.

 

"Least you could do is fake concern. Or maybe it's the fact you're doing this to me in a hospital. I can't stand it. My voice echoes, even though the room is tiny. Everything's so pristine. I wanted to hide under your stupid wooden out-of-place Ikea desk. I hate it. Or perhaps it's simply the fact my mum took me? I mean, as much as I love her, I can't take being in the same car as her right now. Every time she phones it's always with a complaint. Always. I always get a lecture. Always. I've always done something wrong. Always. I'm always wrong. Always. And the worst part? She always phones. Always.

It's gotten to the point where I hate the phone so much because of it that answering it for OTHER people is getting difficult. Feels like THEY all want to shout at me too.

 

That session had been the lengthiest one Dr. Choc had gone through with Glowurm. He had gotten a very long essay now, about how much he hated his previous therapist and that was why he hated seeing Dr. Choc.

 

And perhaps, that was why he had been absent today.

Dr. Choc had always been an optimist, like Horatio. Always happy. Never upset. But Glowurm, his situation, was worrying him greatly. He put down his notes and decided to try and find him.

Of course he tried the phone first. No answer. This caused greater worry.

 

He first checked Planet Horatio. He was saddened to see that Glowurm's shift was over, and rather, the girl known as Kat was working. He ran over to her and asked if she'd seen Glowurm.

"No, I just took over for him. He headed home...uh, you alright?"

Dr. Choc was bent over and breathing heavily. He was out of shape and it wasn't hard to tell.

"Nothing. Uh...I ran all the way here..."

"You want somethin' to pick you up?"

"Oh, goodness no. No alcohol for me."

Kat rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Square."

"Uh, see you later!" he said, huffing as he ran out.

 

-------------------------

 

Dr. Choc eventually found his way to Glowurm's apartment house, after asking around town. He had ran the whole time and was now completely out of breath; he felt like he was dying. He needed to work out.

But he managed to knock on the door of Glowurm's apartment. A few seconds later, a strung-out Glowing worm greeted him. He simply glared at him and whispered, "What do you want?"

"I...I...Uh..." He coughed. "I became deeply worried about your condition as I was reading notes from our last session. May I come in?"

"Why not..." murmured Glowurm as he allowed the Doctor inside.

 

Glowurm was about to pull up a chair for Choc, but after a second thought he refused. If he sat on the futon and Choc sat on the chair, it'd be too much like their sessions. So he simply told Choc to sit at the opposite end of the futon. That way, they'd be on equal sides. That was something Glow hated about his sessions; he felt that lying on the couch made him lower than the therapist. Here they were talking as equals.

Glow huffed and asked him, "What are you so worried about?"

"Your state of mind, Glowurm. Your mental state if you will."

"This isn't a session, DOCTOR." He said, angry.

"Please, just listen to me!" said Choc desperately. "I was worried sick when you didn't show up today!"

"I didn't want to go," said Glow bluntly. "I hate you shrinks."

"Please, Glow. Please don't base your opinion of me on your previous therapist. I really do care about you and I am truly, truly worried about you."

Liar, thought Glow. He opened his mouth to say it, but decided against it.

"Please. Talk to me." said Choc desperately. He sounded as though this was his only choice left and that it was doomed to fail.

Glow sighed. He looked down at the ground and spoke.

"My mum sent me to see my old therapist. I loved her so much, and she had to do that to me. I couldn't stand to be in the same room as her. She always phoned during the sessions. Complaining. Lecturing. I never heard the end of anything. And when I asked for a different therapist, the questions never stopped."

Choc listened intently. He copied this all down to memory so he could record it later.

"I once talked to my dad over dinner, and-and-I threatened to...well, off myself."

Choc's eyes grew wide. "You mean...?"

"Don't worry. I'd never do that in a million years, I swear. I just wanted him to shut up."

"And what did he say?"

"Nothing. He was drunk and didn't notice."

Choc said nothing. Ne only nodded and said, "Go on..."

Glow said nothing for a moment. His voice began to shake and Choc realized he was crying. "I'm so afraid of breaking down. Losing it. Falling apart. Everything." He buried his face in his tiny hands and sniffled. "I'd rather DIE than tell anyone this stuff!"

 

He lifted his head out of his face and looked at Choc. He passed over his large, caring eyes, but rather, noticed the stethoscope around his neck, and the headgear, and finally, noticed a bottle of pills in his breast pocket. He began to breath heavily.

 

"This is why I HATE therapists, and I HATE Mr. Beal, and I HATE you!!!"

"Please, Glow. Sit down, and calm-"

"I CAN'T!!" He screamed. "I DON'T WANT THIS HAPPENING TO ME!!!"

"Glow-!"

Glow fell on the floor and began to hyperventilate. At first Choc thought he might be having a seizure, but he dismissed that assumption within a minute when he realized he was having a Panic Attack. He began to panic as well when he remember that he had diagnosed the boy 5 years ago, when he came to Invision, with pharmacophobia, the fear of medicine, doctors, and other medical things. He remembered how he had found this out, when he was giving diagnoses to every Invisionist:

 

"Glowurm...gender is Male. Species is Worm. Home country is Australia, on the Planet Earth. Any phobias?"

The Worm glared at Choc. He looked confused, until he noticed that Glowurm was staring at some syringes on a tray.

"Oh, sweetie, are you afraid of needles?"

Glowurm whimpered and backed away.

"I'm afraid of Doctors," he whispered.

Choc looked at him for a moment. "Fear of anything medical," he muttered, writing the Phobia on his sheet.

 

He'd completely forgotten it. Of course! Why, why did he have to forget such a crucial detail?!

[Mushroom_king]

Glowurm began to hyperventilate, and then began to hallucinate; he felt as though he was having an out-of body experience, and perhaps he was. Dr. Choc softly put his hands on on Glow's back and shouted to him:

"GLOW!!! Listen to me"

Glow looked up and him as best as he could.

"Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth."

Glowurm quickly and reluctantly followed his advice. He took in the stale apartment air through his nose and slowly exhaled it through his mouth. He repeated this, and he slowly, but surely, stopped panicking. He sat up, and Choc once again put his hand on his back.

Glowurm sighed. "Choc, what can I do? I'm losing it!"

"No you're not. All you need to do is look towards your friends. They're always there for you. That's what the problem is. No one is comfortable talking to a therapist, a complete stranger. You only want to talk to people you know. You trust those people. You trust them with everything."

Glowurm sniffled again, but finally, a sincere smile broke across his face. "You're right. I'm going to head over to Planet Horatio right now."

Choc laughed. "That's the spirit! But can I come?"

"Sure, why not?" said Glowurm. For now, he still liked him.

 

-------------------------

 

Glow and Choc walked slowly towards Planet Horatio, Choc's hand on Glowurm's back.

"Choc, you're the only Doctor I've met who knew what he was talking about."

Choc laughed and smiled. "That's what I try to do with all my patients. I want to befriend them before I can cure them. After all, you're not just going to divulge your greatest secrets to some stranger. But you would to a friend."

"That's exactly right."

"So, Glow...are we friends?"

Glow looked up at him, and smiled. "Of course we are, Choc."

Choc started to choke up, and he picked up Glowurm and carried him the rest of the way.

"I'll do everything in my power to help you, Glowurm."

 

---------------------------

 

When they got there, they saw Arkcher, MK, Hoops, and Hoops's friends. They were all sitting at a booth, talking. They hadn't yet ordered anything.

When the Doctor and Glow got over there, they all said hi.

"Evening, Glowurm," said Aloysius. "Who's your friend here?"

"This is Dr. Flippinchocsnappywaffin. We just call him Dr. Choc."

"Salutations!" said the Doctor.

Aloysius stood up to shake hands. The contrast was incredible; you had Aloysius, a tall, thin blond man with long hair, and you had an overweight short-haired doctor.

"It's very nice to meet you!" said Aloysius. "I, too, research Medicine. Everyone knows me as an inventor though."

"Really?"

Arkcher spoke up. "That's my father, if you couldn't already tell; the inventor Dr. Aloysius Ahrroww."

"A-Ahrroww?! Ahh! Ugh...how foolish of me, I NEVER noticed the connection before...."

Aloysius giggled. Glowurm's eyes went wide with fear. Aloysius glanced over at him.

"Oh, what are you so upset about, my dearest worm?"

"Eh...he's my therapist...I guess. He's everyone's doctor, though."

"Just one doctor for everyone?"

"We don't get sick a whole lot...plus, there's others. There's a couple in the Eskimo and Scarlie villages, and I'm pretty sure there's one living in the Mansion."

"Ah. And you have me, as well."

"Come on! Who wants something to eat or drink? I'll get it for you...I'm the only one who can..." He glared over at a drunken Kat slumped over on the counter.

[Mushroom_king]

The rest of the group laughed as Glowurm worked his way over to the bar area and tried to wake Kat; she slowly blinked her eyes open and looked around, before throwing her head back down and starting to sleep. Glowurm sighed and starting getting drinks for everyone; only Aloysius wanted any alcohol. He mixed up a Wingdings Drink for Aloysius, and made a Glowing Milkshake for himself. The whole group had a pretty good time, to make a long story short.

 

---------------------------

 

The next day was New Year's Eve; everyone who planned to attend was busy getting prepared. This include our five main characters (six if you included Aloysius); New Year's wasn't exactly a favorite time of year for them (no free candy!), but getting to have a party with friends is always good. And of course, they had New Year's resolutions to make and break.

Eventually, around sunset, the partygoers boarded their boats or planes and started to head for Hamsterking's Castle, since the party was held there.

 

It was dark out as crowds of people went through the huge doors of the castle. Aloysius, Arkcher, MK, and PMM were about to go in when Aloysius was stopped by a strange woman. She had a short, blue bob, and a skintight blue jumpsuit. She had a headset on, and looked official. Perhaps she was a security guard.

"Sir, who are you?"

"Oh! My name is Aloysius Ahrroww."

She pushed the side of her headset. A "screen" of information was projected in front of her eyes. She read through it, and then pressed her headset again. The information vanished.

"You may come in."

He walked on, and shivered. "Who was that?"

"GAURD101," explained Arkcher. "A security guard for the King."

"I see," he said. "She seemed awful stern...but then again, I guess a guard should be like that."

"She was designed that way."

Aloysius turned and looked at him. "Excuse me?"

"She's an android. She was specifically designed to protect Hamsterking, because he couldn't find anyone suitable for the job."

"Exactly," said PMM. "The name stands for Gaurd Automatic Undefined Royal Droid."

"Undefined?"

"I think that's supposed to reference how complex her code is," thought MK. "Hey, there's Cheesemaster and Cheese Woman."

The four ran over to them and said Hello.

"Hi, everyone," said Cheesemaster. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to you, as well," said Aloysius. "Have you made any resolutions yet?"

He shrugged. "Not really..."

Cheese Woman giggled and locked Cheesemaster in a choking hug lock. "I want to make sure Cheesie-Kun falls for me!!"

"Not....gonna....happen...." Cheesemaster muttered.

Aloysius scratched his head. "-Kun?"

"Cheesie never told you?" she said.

"Told me what?"

He looked around at Arkcher and MK, then Cheesemaster and Cheese Woman (who had released Cheesemaster from the death lock).

"Aloysius-sama...I can't believe you've never been confused by it."

"By what?"

"Why would he carry around a Japanese Katana?"

"Maybe he is Japanese? That's what I assumed. Are you Japanese as well?"

She sighed. "Oh...you did know, then."

"Of course!" said Aloysius. "Why would anyone wield a Japanese weapon or even use Japanese honorifics if they weren't even from there?"

"Maybe if they were a weeaboo?" suggested PMM.

Aloysius ignored him. "In fact, you never have told me much of your childhoods."

Cheesemaster suddenly go a look of shock and horror on his face. "Heh...nah, maybe some other time, it's a complicated story..."

"Then give us the tl;dr version."

"I was born in Japan, I lived there for some time and grew up in England until I came here."

"Oh, interesting!" said Aloysius. He looked over at Cheese Woman. "And you?"

"The opposite," she explained.

He mouthed "Oh," and then looked around. "What are we eating at this party?"

"Catering by Planet Horatio and Fried Dragon Palace," said MK. "Kat ought to be around her somewhere."

[Mushroom_king]

Just as the group went looking for Kat, Woodstock approached them. sHe looked out of breath.

"Guys, have you seen Glowurm? I've been looking for him everywhere."

"No, we haven't, but we'll be glad to help you."

Woodstock smiled. "Thanks." sHe looked over at Aloysius. "Hey, Aloysius, Solrai said to meet her at Midnight outside."

A big, goofy grin broke out across his face. "D-Did she really?!" he stuttered. He started to blush and was sweating like crazy. "Oh, I still get nervous thinking about her."

Woodstock grinned. "Don't worry, I was like that with Glow for a while. It's gets even better as your relationship goes on."

Aloysius laughed and nodded in agreement, despite the fact that such hadn't been true for his marriage.

"Say, do you want a drink, Woodstock?"

"Would I ever!"

"Alright, then. Let's get some drinks and then we'll look for Glowurm."

"We need to hurry. It's already 11:40."

"Oh My God! Is it really?!" said Cheesemaster. "Time truly flies."

"Indeed, it does," murmured Aloysius.

 

--------------------------

 

"Glow? Glow?!" shouted Woodstock. He doubted anyone could hear him over the noise, let alone Glowurm.

Before he knew it, Horatio's voice came over the speakers. If you're wondering why there's speakers in the castle, I'm just as confused as you are.

"Alright everyone, there's Ten Minutes left! Come get your streamers and noise makers from me!"

Everyone screamed and cheered as they went over to get colored streamers and a noise maker from Horatio. He had just enough for everyone.

"Save these for Midnight!" he reminded everyone.

Woodstock looked up at the big clock that had been set up. Eight minutes, and no sign on Glowurm. But he tried to perk up and got himself two sets of streamers and two noise makers, so he could give some to Glow when he did find him.

 

Seven Minutes....

 

The other five had finally found Kat, and were discussing their resolutions.

"I want to play more video games!" said PMM, as the counter ticked to six minutes. "It's the only one I won't break!"

"Party Poppers!" shouted Horatio as the clock ticked Five Minutes. Everyone scrambled to get one.

"I want to make sure I get my temper under control," said Cheesemaster. "I don't need anymore brawls with Jakob Rabbitt. In fact, I resolve to set things straight with him.

The clock ticked four minutes.

PMM busily tapped at his DS; he was playing Animal Crossing, which meant he was having double the New Year's fun.

The clock ticked three minutes.

"I want to improve my relationship with all of you guys," said Arkcher. He put his arm around MK. "Especially you, Mushroom."

She giggled and blushed. The others looked at them funny.

The clock ticked two minutes.

"Hey, you two!" said MK, looking down at Sean and Julian. "Don't play with your streamers and noise makers until it's time! That'll make it more special. And be more careful; I learned the hard way that those streamers give you bad papercuts."

 

ONE MINUTE...

 

"Glowurm!!!! GLOWURM!!!!" said Woodstock. He was screaming now as tears went down his face. One minute left and no sight of him.

 

The clock started ticking the last fifty seconds.

"Go outside everyone!"

Everyone was nearly crushed in the crowed to get out. It was pitch-black out, except for another giant clock ticking away. Woodstock went to the front of the crowd.

 

Ten seconds...

 

5

4

3

2

1

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!

 

Woodstock's eyes went wide with wonder as he saw a giant pirate ship throw sparks and color into the sky. Everyone blew their noise makers, popped the party poppers, ad unfurled their streamers and sang. But Woodstock started to choke up when he saw the undeniable crest of the Glowing Pirates! Glowurm's crew of pirates!

And then, their leader himself stepped onto shore and took Woodstock into his arms.

"Happy New Year, my sweetest one," and before sHe could say anything Glow had taken heR and was kissed heR.

"I-I looked all over for you!" Woostock stuttered.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to make it a surprise. Do you like it?"

"Yes...yes, I do!"

Glowurm leaned in towards heR face again and shut his eyes. "I love you."

Woodstock shut heR eyes as well. "I love you, too," and they kissed again.

 

--------------------------

 

Aloysius, Arkcher, MK, Cheesemaster, Cheese Woman, PMM, and Kat were also celebrating; Kat was getting drunk like she normally did, PMM was playing AC (but trying not to deter himself from the actual party), MK and Arkcher were hugging and wrapping each other in streamers, Cheese Woman was trying to steal a kiss from Cheesemaster, and Aloysius had strayed from the group looking for Solrai. He had about given up when he was, like Woodstock, swooped into her arms.

"Happy New year," she said, and the two of them, kissed also.

 

~HAPPY NEW YEAR~

 

 

[This isn't the last chapter of Glow's story yet; you'll see some New Year's Day action, too.]

 

[The next two stories will probably be Horatio's story for January and Cheese Woman's as a Valentine's Day story.]

[Mushroom_king]

The day after the festivities, everyone was going to be sleeping in, or having a hangover, or both; except for a certain Rabbit-Girl in Hamsterdam, and two cheese-people. The latter both got up just before the sun rose and went out by the ocean.

"It's a new year, Cheesie-kun," said Cheese Woman. "When the sun comes up, let's make a wish for a good year!"

"Alright," he said. They stood silently, and when they saw the first speck of light on the horizon, they clapped their hands, and then clasped them together.

A few seconds later, they opened their eyes and looked at each other. "Happy New Year, Cheesie..."

"You too, Cheese Woman." He looked around. "Hey, what do you want to do today anyway?"

 

-----------------------

 

Meanwhile, on Mt. Jazzeh, MK and Arkcher were trying to sleep in; they'd stayed up a long time last night and needed rest, but PMM wanted them to get up. Why, I have no idea.

"Please, Paper Mario Master," Arkcher groaned. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Oh, fine. I'll get up and see what he wants," said MK. She climbed out of bed and stretched. "What is it?"

"I'm BORED," said PMM.

"Then play Tetris or something," she said. "That usually works for me."

"I've been trying that for the past hour. But then I got what normally happens to me: stupid, stupid I-shaped block! I got fed up!"

"Well, you have over a million games-"

"I have every game. Except the cruddy ones."

"Gee, then how could you be bored?!"

"Look who's talking. You complain that nothing on you MP3 is something you wanna listen to, but you have as many songs on there as I do video games."

"I guess you're right. So...what do you want me to do?"

"Would you play 2-Player with me?"

"Would I ever!"

"Alriight! You pick first game!"

 

--------------------------

 

MK and PMM walked into PMM's room. He had installed an "Alternate Universe ®" portal that had recently been invented, and was becoming popular around the universe. It was a storage made specifically for collectors that places large collections of objects in an "Alternate Universe" that wasn't huge, but expanded in size as your collections got bigger. This was where PMM stored his games, but he usually kept 5 or 6 games in his room, in case he was really "into" a game and needed to have in nearby.

He had the games sorted in many different ways. One of these ways was whether they supported multiple players or not. He and MK glanced through and grabbed a handful each.

"What have you got?" asked MK.

"All 3 Smash Brothers, uh...Guitar Hero...uhh...Soul Caliber...Mario Kart! All of them, even. And you?"

"I have Pokemon Stadium, Halo which I'm bad at, and some obscure stuff..."

"Alright, let's play!"

 

---------------------------

 

PMM hooked up two controllers to the console, and hooked up the console to the TV. He had long ago gotten help from Arkcher and had built a system that played all of his games, that way he could stop having to switch them so much. He fondly called this creation the PSWii60.

"I call first player!" shouted PMM.

"Alright, then," said MK.

The two of them played for quite a long time; it was also the first time in a long time that they had played without getting angry with each other. Eventually, Arkcher woke up and told them that their breakfast was getting cold. So, they turned off the console and decided to give it a break.

MK picked up her sanity and placed him on his shoulders. Looking at them you'd think they were parent and child; and the two hugged and wished the other a happy new year.

 

-----------------------------

 

HORATIO'S STORY

 

"Goodnight, King! Goodnight Hamsterweb!" shouted Horatio as he climbed into his bed. He snuggled underneath the covers, and swiftly drifted off to sleep. And, like most sleepers do, he began to dream.

 

Horatio didn't have flying dreams like most people, mainly because he was flying in his airplane for a good majority of the time. No. Rather, he dreamed that he had all the sunflower seeds in the world. As a hamster, he loved sunflower seeds. He dreamed he was in a field full of the flowers, and their seeds pouring from the flowers. But all of a sudden, in his dream, he fell into a hole, and fell out of his dream! He rubbed his head and looked up, and nearly screamed when he saw himself. Horatio is normally a "giant hamster", but now he was the size of a normal one!

"Gee...Is that really me?" he whispered.

He was about to jump back into his dream-cloud when he saw another dream-cloud elsewhere: he ran and looked and realized it was Cheesemaster's. Cheesemaster had been traveling and was taking a break at the Castle before he had to leave tomorrow. Horatio got nearer to the bed and tried to climb up; he was finding it difficult due to his size. He eventually gave up and climbed up the nightstand instead. Sitting there was Cheesemaster's cap and his glasses; Horatio walked carefully as not to break the latter.

He walked to the edge of the nightstand and saw Cheesemaster, looking very peaceful. He jumped over onto the bed, lifted himself onto Cheesemaster's pillow, and jumped into the dream-cloud.

 

-----------------------

 

Horatio fell into an unfamiliar, unrecognizable area. He looked around and saw a bunch of people in black suits...Ninjas! Of course! But oddly enough, there was Cheesemaster, in his normal clothes. Horatio wondered why he didn't have a matching black bodysuit, but his thoughts were interrupted when Cheesemaster called his name.

"Horatio, what are you doing here?"

"Oh-Hi-!"

"I didn't dream you, did I?"

"uh...I don't recall how I got here. I must have taken a wrong turn in my drea-"

"WATCH OUT!!!" yelled Cheesemaster as a league of pirates ran toward tiny Horatio. He ran as fast as he could to dodge and fell out of the cloud, landing back in the safety of the cap sitting on the nightstand. He looked over at Cheesemaster, who no longer looked peaceful, but now looked like he was having a nightmare.

"Ugh...die, die!..." He mumbled as he began to toss and turn. Horatio felt a little sorry for him, and decided it was best to go back to his own dream.

 

But he then got curious; what was everyone else dreaming about? He very carefully made his way down the nightstand and scampered towards the computer room, where he found an exhausted Hamsterweb slumped over a gigantic computer. Energy drink and soda cans, and coffee cups too were strewn all over the floor. He'd stayed up as long as he possibly could looking for Stewart. And Horatio saw the dream cloud above his head.

 

Horatio shivered and backed away. He had always been afraid of Hamsterweb, entirely due to his severe-SEVERE-case of arachnophobia, fear of spiders. He hated being around Hamsterweb in his normal size; he couldn't bear to imagine going up to him like this. He slowly backed away some more and scampered as fast as he could away, towards Hamsterking's room. The King slept in a gigantic bed, with fluffy pillows and big, soft comforters. Above his head was a a giant portrait of the King. There were two nightstands on either side, plus a rack for his robe and crown. The king was extremely old, but the only sign as such were deep wrinkles beneath his eyes, and those were from partying too much. Horatio ran over and grabbed a hold of the robe, careful not to knock it down, until he was able to jump into the King's dream; unfortunately, just as he was about to jump in, the cloud was gone, and he realized that Hamsterking was waking up! He scrambled to hide, and hid underneath the robe. When he was gone, Horatio ran towards the hangar where his airplane was; until he realized it was far too big! This was bad...only one choice. But he'd have to be brave.

 

---------------------

 

Horatio shivered as he walked in Hamsterweb's room. He knew that there ought to be a teleportation device somewhere around here; He'd have to pay should he break it, though...but no matter. He finally found it. This particular device, you attached to yourself and it took you anywhere. This was extremely advanced technology; Teleportation was already advanced as it was, but it normally require big, clunky teleporters located where you wanted to go. This device was meant as a bracelet for a human or human-sized creature. As a result, it made a good belt for him. He fit it onto himself, and was surprised to see it was very light. He pressed the button and decided he would go to Arkcher's Mansion on Mt. Jazzeh.

 

FWOOOOOOOOOOSH went the teleport bracebelt, and Horatio was now traveling at the speed of light towards Mt. Jazzeh...

[Mushroom_king]

Horatio landed in the foyer of The Mansion. Unfortunately, he had not thought ahead, and had not programmed the device to take him directly into Arkcher and MK's bedroom; as a result, he was now forced to walk the entire way. Fortunately, the distance was not a long one. All he needed to do was walk up the stairs, take a left, and go to the very last room down the corridor. But climbing up steps is easier said then done when you've somehow shrunk down. Horatio wasn't quite sure why his dream-self was a normal-sized hamster. He probably wouldn't ever know. But no matter. He began his journey up the steps of the foyer.

 

------------------------

 

After a grueling climb, Horatio stopped for a breather, but then reminded himself that if he dilly-dallied too long, everyone would be up and he wouldn't get to see their dreams. So he got up and hurried over to the door...he stopped, and looked up. The knob was over two feet above him, maybe more. There was no way he was going to...

Suddenly, the door cracked open. Horatio jumped to hide, and saw it was simply Aloysius. But he didn't sleep in this hallway...did he?

"Oh, hello, little hamster," he said, bending down and looking at him. "Are you a ghost? You're quite transparent."

He doesn't recognize me? thought Horatio, and then he remembered he was not wearing his jacket or goggles; he was a naked hamster.

"Alright, do you want through? I'll let you in if you promise not to tell my son I stayed up late reading."

Horatio smiled and nodded, since he didn't want to waste energy speaking. He made a mental note to see Aloysius and visit his dream later.

"Alright, little friend. Here you go." Aloysius opened the door just a crack, and left it open for Horatio so he could get out later. As he scampered through the dark corridor Horatio wondered why he was nude now, since he was wearing his clothes in his dream and Cheesemaster's dream. Who knows; but he found himself at another obstacle when he realized he would have to get into Arkcher's room. But the heavens had smiled upon Horatio, for the door was open just enough for Horatio to push it open a tiny bit.

 

-------------------------

 

Horatio looked in and saw Arkcher and Mushroom_king sleeping. They were both facing away from each other, and in between them was PMM. Horatio was surprised to see Arkcher and PMM, as Arkcher's hair wasn't styled like it usually was, PMM's regular blocker spectacles were not on, and neither wore their jackets or ties. Horatio ran over and grabbed ahold of a blanket and climbed up, until he found himself just by Arkcher. He climbed onto the pillow and made his best leap into the dream.

 

--------------------------

 

Horatio found himself in a state of Limbo, with no one but him, and Arkcher, who was playing his DS. He looked like he was extremely involved in his game. Horatio walked over and tapped on his shoulder. No response.

"Arkcher," said Horatio.

"Mmm?"

"Uh...is this your dream?"

"I guess so. Kind of a dumb dream, though. I do stuff like this every day."

"So does Paper Mario master, I expected him to dream this kind of thing."

"yea, me too."

Horatio looked around. "Not very exciting."

"It is for me," mumbled Arkcher.

Horatio sighed. This wasn't going anywhere. "Well, I'll see you in real life," and he leapt into PMM's dream next.

 

----------------------------

 

PMM's dream was not quite as simple and boring as he imagined it. PMM was doing his daly life, everything he normally did, but he was tall!

Horatio looked up at PMM. "gee, you're tall! What happened?"

"What do you mean, what happened?"

"How'd you get so tall?"

"I've been tall as long as I've been gaming!"

"R-Really? I swear I...remember you being short."

"That's preposterous," said Aloysius, who was in the dream. "I may have only known him a few months and I knew that."

"Yea! He's my sanity. He's always been like that." said MK.

"I saw pictures of him from before we met him," said Arkcher, "He was tall even as a kid."

"See? Proof I'm tall and always been tall!"

Horatio looked around and decided this was far too strange; he took a leap for it, and landed in between MK and PMM. In a cold sweat, he looked under the covers to make sure PMM really was still short. He was. He breathed a sigh of relief and decided to jump into MK's dream.

[Mushroom_king]

Horatio fell into a strange, grayscale world; he looked down, and even his body was in shades of black and white; he looked around and saw he was in Outer Space. He looked around some more and saw a gigantic, white wall, with a river flowing through it. Rocks floated around, and what he recognized as a Star, a giant ball of fire, was behind it; but he felt cold. And, upon becoming more aware of his surroundings, he realized he was floating; how he was breathing in space, he didn't know, but it was a dream.

 

He decided that he wouldn't be seeing anything if he didn't move. Upon trying a few things, he learned he could "swim" through the space. He made his way over by the wall, and grabbed found himself at the bottom. The hole that the river had made had closed up, and when he tried climbing, the walls only got higher. It was surreal; more surreal than anything he'd ever seen. Had Mushroom_king, a shy, strange girl, really dreamt this? He expected music, not silence. This was far too odd. Where there any living things here? Horatio opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out: he simply mouthed

 

"Is there Anybody Out There?"

 

He looked around and saw no one. He tried screaming it, but no noise came. Was he completely alone in the universe? Or, perhaps, were there others, also screaming silently, but to no avail like he was? Was this what MK was dreaming, but she was in Horatio's position? And if so, why was she dreaming this? What was going inside her that he needed to know about?

 

Horatio suddenly felt like he was being strangled. He tried to break free of the grip, but he was unable to do anything; and, just as suddenly, he felt heavy and began to fall. He found himself sweating just next to the potted plant on the other side of the bed. MK had woken up.

"What an awful nightmare," she muttered, rubbing her eye. She stood and left the room, perhaps to get a glass of water. Horatio looked outside and realized he only had time for one more stop before head had to head back home. He decided to visit his friend, Dog Lover.

 

---------------------------

 

Horatio pressed the button on the Teleport belt and made his way for the floating town of Taynio, where Dog Lover lived. This time, he made sure he teleported directly to Dog Lover's bedroom, so he would only have to climb into her bed and jump into her dream. And with yet another WHOOOOOOOOOOSH he was off at the speed of light towards Taynio...

 

Horatio landed with a thump in a dog bed, and next to him was the dog, smiling, as if she was having a very happy dream. So, Horatio decided to see exactly what she was dreaming about. He leaped in.

 

-------------------------------

 

Horatio found himself at a concert. Many people were screaming and cheering, and Horatio struggled to not get crushed. He eventually found a high spot where he could look, and stared over at the stage: there, he saw Elton John, his piano, and...Dog Lover! She was on stage with him! What a surprise. Horatio slapped himself. He should have known this would happen. But he patiently stayed to see what would happen. Turns out, the concert was over, and Elton was thanking his best friend, Dog Lover, for all the love and support. And then the dream ended.

 

That was quick, thought Horatio, slightly disappointed. But no matter. Time to go home. He pressed the button on his belt and WHOOOOOOOOOSHED all the way back home.

 

---------------------------------

 

The next morning, Horatio woke up after his nighttime adventure, and was glad to be back in his normal size. He, Hamsterweb, Hamsterking, and Cheesemaster were having breakfast just before Cheesemaster had to go back home.

"I had the strangest dream last night," explained Cheesemaster. "You were there, Horatio. You came out of nowhere. I had a big Ninja army and was fighting an army of pirates. I thought you got crushed, but you vanished."

"That's weird," was all Horatio had to say. "I dreamed that I was visiting other people's dreams."

 

Because, Horatio had taken to thinking, that whole experience may have been nothing but a dream.

 

 

[the next story is Cheese Woman's story, and will be Valentine's themed.]

[Mushroom_king]

Cheese Woman's story

 

It was the first day of February; the cold and snow in The Port of Cheese had already melted away, and it felt like it was already Spring. Cheesemaster, Arkcher, MK, and PMM were in a field just outside of the town; MK was playing with PMM and Sterling, whom Dawn had entrusted the care of while she did some business in town, while Arkcher and Cheesemaster sat on a bench. Arkcher's jacket lay on the bench; he was wearing a white, tucked-in dress shirt underneath, a brown leather belt, and a black tie. Cheesemaster wasn't wearing his sweater or coat; he was wearing a white dress shirt (which was <i>not</i> tucked in) with the sleeves rolled up, brown suspenders, and brown shorts. A soft breeze blew both of their hair in the wind, and they were both watching MK.

Arkcher put his hand on his chin and tilted his head, still looking at her. Cheesemaster glanced over at him. "What are you doing?"

Arkcher gave a mumbled "Huh?" and looked at him. "Oh, nothing."

"Nah, you were staring at Mushroom_king."

"So were you," Arkcher huffed.

Cheesemaster gasped and tried to say something; but all that came out was a single "I-" and he looked at the ground.

Arkcher looked over at Cheesemaster and laughed. "Hey, it's no problem. You were probably just staring off into space."

Cheesemaster laughed nervously. "O-Of course, that's exactly what I was doing!"

"Yea," mumbled Arkcher. He tilted his head, closed his eyes, and folded his arms.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh...nothing. Just wondering what to get Mushroom for Valentine's Day."

"Mushroom?" said Cheesemaster, gasping.

"That's my new pet name for her."

"O-Oh," he stammered. Cheesemaster felt incredibly awkward at that moment, as he had secretly referred to her as "Mushroom" for a few months now.

"And what about you?"

"Ah?"

"Are you going to get Cheese Woman anything?"

Cheesemaster swiftly turned away from him. "Of course I will. I get all my female friends presents."

Arkcher was taken aback. "Even Mushroom?"

Cheesemaster looked at him, afraid. "Well, yes. She's a female friend of mine."

"So is that the gift that's been coming in for the past couple years?"

"Probably!"

Arkcher put his hands on the bench and looked at the sky. Then he looked at Cheesemaster, with a look of anger in his eye. "You know, Cheesemaster, most guys don't get their best friend's wife all those CD's that you always give her. Especially when said guy works as a paperboy and earns on average about ten dollars a day."

Cheesemaster got an incredibly fearful look in his eye. He said nothing for a moment, but then cleared his throat, and said,

"Well, she's a very close friend of mine. She's very important to me; perhaps as much to me as she is to yo-"

"Nothing matters more to me than her!" he said, near-yelling. He backed away and apologized. But the anger stayed in his eyes. "Don't try saying she matters to as much as she does to me. That's impossible for you. She's not your wife."

"I'm not trying to say she is!" said Cheesemaster, angrily. He was starting to get defensive.

"Your actions prove otherwise!"

"What are you trying to say?!"

"I'm trying to say that you're-"

"What's wrong over here, boys?" said MK. She was standing over them. The two of them looked up and acted as though they hadn't been fighting a few seconds ago.

"H-Hi, Mushroom!" they both said in unison. Arkcher gave Cheesemaster a dirty look, and Cheesemaster realized what he'd said.

"Mushroom?" she said, and she laughed. "Cheesie...did Arkcher tell you my nickname? It's OK if you use it."

"But Mushroom-" stammered Arkcher, but MK shushed him.

The two boys got up and were about to go back into town when another familiar female voice came to them. It was Cheese Woman.

"Cheesie-Kun!"

Arkcher gave a smug look to his friend, and took MK, and said "Alright, then. We'll go back into town. Meet us later?"

Cheesemaster said nothing. He repeatedly forgave Arkcher in his mind, but with each forgiveness it got harder. But he had no time to think. He looked at Cheese Woman and gasped.

 

The giant, ruffly Victorian ball gown she normally wore had been replaced by a knee-length, pink dress with just as many ruffles, and laces up the front, and lacy pink sleeves decorated with ribbons.. A pink ribbon was tied around her waist, and a large ribbon was just underneath her collarbone. She wore white stockings and pink high heels (decorated with a big bow on the toes), and she was wearing a big, pink ribbon in her hair, plus some pink flowers. In her hand was the familiar ruffly, pink parasol she commonly had. Cheesemaster gulped, and his glasses fell down his nose in complete shock.

There's actually something under that dress, he thought.

"Cheesie-kun, what's wrong?"

"What are you wearing?

"Oh, Cheesie...it's a style popular in Japan! It's called Lolita!"

"Lolita...?"

"Do you not know what lolita i-"

"Doesn't that have something to do with pedophilia?" He said, blushing.

She sighed. "No, No, No! It's a style! It's nice out, so wore this. Plus, I saw it in a magazine I was reading."

Cheesemaster adjusted his glasses, and found his couldn't take his eyes off her. She was <i>beautiful</i>.

She put her hands on his shoulders and her head on his chest, her parasol covering them both. He had no choice but to wrap his arms around her. "What was going on earlier with Arkcher-kun?"

"Oh-nothing. Just a small misunderstanding."

"Please, Cheesie, explain?"

He sighed, but he went on anyway. "On Valentine's Day, I send presents to all my female friends."

"Like me!" she said, happily.

"Indeed. Well, he got angry because he thinks it's wrong I send gifts to MK."

"There's nothing wrong with it! That boy is so...so...PARANOID!!" And with that, she backed away from him. "I'm going to give that stuck-up inventor a piece of my mind!!"

"Please, Cheese Woman, no need to do that!"

"There is every need to do this!"

Cheesemaster grabbed he shoulder, and she stopped. "Cheesie?"

"Please, don't. It'll do nothing but make the situation even worse. I don't want to ruin my friendship with him or Mushroom."

 

 

 

[Cheesemaster rules.]

[Mushroom_king]

Cheese Woman turned around and looked at him, his hand still on her shoulder.

"Cheesie-kun...?"

"I'll go talk it out with him. Do you want to come with me?"

She smiled and giggled. "Of course I would!"

She took her parasol and adjusted it so it was covering Cheesemaster as well, and the two walked into town. He felt embarrassed by the fact that everyone in the town always looked at them as thought they were a couple, when they were in fact not.

"I wonder where Arkcher is, anyway?" wondered Cheese Woman. Cheesemaster said nothing, just looking around for Arkcher and MK. "There they are," he said happily, but his happiness melted away when he saw they were in front of a record shop, and Arkcher had just bought her some CD's.

Cheesemaster became upset, knowing he wouldn't be able to get the CD's for her for Valentine's Day. Arkcher was deliberately trying to make sure he wasn't able to send her a gift.

"What's wrong, Cheesie?"

"He bought her the records I planned to buy for her!"

Cheese Woman got angry and Cheesemaster has to grab her arm to keep her from running up to him.

"What are you going to get her for Valentine's Day now?"

Cheesemaster thought for a moment, and then he smiled. "I have an idea."

"Oh, what is it, Cheesie?"

"I'l tell you, and only you. You musn't tell anyone else." And with that he whispered in her ear his idea, and she gasped happily.

"Oh, that's going to be fun! She'll really like it!"

"I hope so," he murmured. "I'm going to go talk to them."

"But Arkcher might still be angry at you."

"I don't care."

She sighed and looked at him with her large, sparkling eyes. He looked back at her, and for a few seconds, simply stared at her. He'd never realized just how pretty Cheese Woman really was; and she looked exceptionally beautiful in this new dress of hers. She looked sweet, and innocent; which she was. She cocked her head, and asked, "What's wrong, Cheesie?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Why were you looking at me like that?"

He gulped, and tugged at his collar. "It's just, uh..."

"Come on, spit it out!"

He looked at her, and smiled. He was incredibly nervous, but managed to get it out again: "I don't think I ever told you just how pretty you are."

He braced for the smack in the face he'd come to expect from women he complimented, but it never came. She looked at him again with her large eyes, smiling. Her eyes looked as they they were full of tears.

"T-Thank you so much, Cheesie," she said softly. She hugged him, and was about to leave, but then she turned around, went up to him again, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good-bye, Cheesie-kun! Good luck!"

"Bye," he whispered, rubbing his face. He turned around and ran as fast as he could towards the record shop, looked around, and saw Arkcher and MK walking inside of a large shopping mall that was situated in the town.

 

----------------------------

 

"Arkky, why did you buy me all these CD's?"

"I wanted to get you something while we were here," he said. He felt extremely proud of himself; he'd gathered just the information he required from Cheesemaster and had bought CD's for MK so Cheesemaster wouldn't be able to get any for her.

Arkcher was the type who oftentimes jumped to conclusions, or got angry about things that didn't matter; like Cheesemaster giving presents to his wife. Cheesemaster was only showing he was her friend and cared about her, but Arkcher interpreted his kindness as trying to "take" her from him. But no matter. The two were locked arm-in-arm now, and she was happy, though she was suspicious that he had bought her early gifts.

Cheesemaster ran inside and closely followed the couple and waited for an opportunity to talk to Arkcher. His chance came too soon.

"Hey, Arkky?" she asked. He looked at her. "Yes?"

She pointed towards a shop that sold clothes, incense, books, and other things. "I'm going to go in there."

"Alright. Take all the time you need."

She let go of his arm and ran off into the store. Arkcher sat down on a bench, and Cheesemaster walked over to him.

"What the...Cheesemaster, what are you doing here?" He asked, snobbishly.

"What's wrong with you? You're acting like you're better than me or something."

"No, I'm not. I'm just wondering what you want."

Cheesemaster sighed. "What's big idea? You buy all the CD's for Mushroom_king, which is what I get her every year? That was deliberate, wasn't it?"

"Of course it is!"

Cheesemaster got even more angry. "Why do you care so much whether or not I get a gift for Mushroom?"

"Don't YOU call her that!" Snapped Arkcher. "That's MY nickname for her. And besides, why would you send such expensive gifts to her, specifically? What sorts of things do you get for your other female friends?"

"I usually get clothes for Cheese Woman, and for Kat, I sometimes invite her over and teach her claymore techniques as a gift. For Hoops, I might get her a video game, though it's always a used on-"

"Exactly!"

"What do you mean, exactly?"

"Clothes can be cheap. Used games are cheap. Kat doesn't pay for those lessons. But CD's are expensive, and that's a brand-new CD shop, not a used one."

"But I-"

"All I'm saying is that you're getting her better gifts than the others. Not so fair, is it?"

"That's ridiculous! You're basing a claim off something as stupid as this?"

"I think what I'm trying to say is: Stop trying to take my girl!"

"A-Arkcher, What did you just call me?!"

Arkcher looked and saw MK standing by him. Both him and Cheesemaster blushed and tried to pass it off as though they weren't just fighting over her a few seconds ago, much like they had in the field earlier.

[Mushroom_king]

MK looked at Arkcher, who was blushing the deepest shade of red. Cheesemaster looked proud of himself.

The awkward moment was ended when Kat fell from the sky. She lifted up her head, looked around, and said, "What an awful nightmare. I dreamed the Boohnahs were chasing me and they put me in an egg and tried to eat me. Man, where'd Setsuna go..?"

 

She looked around and saw Setsuna behind her. "Did you wake me up?"

Setsuna nodded.

"Go sit in the corner, then!"

"But Kat..."

"GO!!!!"

Setsuna reluctantly went to the corner as Kat started to talk to the other 3, but she was interrupted when Setsuna said, "Kat..."

"WHAT?"

"The room is circular."

"That's stopping you?!"

"Well, yes."

Kat groaned. "Come on, I'll teach you how to sit in the corner."

The other three just glared at Kat with looks of confusion on their faces. MK looked at Arkcher.

"Don't think that interruption keeps you from explaining yourself!"

"Well...I...Uhm..."

"Out with it, already! What happened over here?"

He pointed to Cheesemaster. "He's trying to make you like him more than me!!"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"He's trying to take you from me!!"

"That's preposterous!" said MK and Cheesemaster in unison.

"Arkcher, is this why you bought me those CD's, so Cheesmaster couldn't get them for me?"

"Yes!" said Cheesemaster.

"Well, it's too late now. I'm sorry, Cheesemaster..."

Arkcher felt horrible. He was finally realizing what an awful thing he'd done, and to his best friend especially. But he still felt his cause was just. He refused to apologize for this reason.

"Come on, Arkcher. We're going home," she said, speaking to him as though she were a parent who had just hurt his brother. That was exactly how it felt.

 

---------------------------

 

When the couple got back to the Mansion, MK had originally planned to talk to Aloysius about what Arkcher had done, but found that they would be unable to; he was far too busy.

"Aloysius," said MK, "Arkcher needs to tell you something."

He was sitting in a chair in the Study, and turned around to look at her. "I...I can't right now. I'm...busy..."

"Busy doing what?!"

"It's almost Valentine's Day. I'm going to spend time with Solrai. Don't you two have plans as well?"

MK heaved, but said nothing. Arkcher gave a sigh of relief, and walked off to the Bedroom so he could rest.

"Arkcher, don't think you'll be avoiding this!" she yelled to him. Aloysius then stood up, and began to leave. "I'm going to the tea room. Do you wish to join me?"

MK decided that would be a good time to discuss Arkcher, though Aloysius may only be interested in discussing Solrai; but she decided to accompany him anyhow.

 

The Tea Room of Arkcher's Mansion was long and had two equally long tables in it, with two cabinets on both sides of the room with plates and cups in it. Aloysius prepared the two of them two hot cups of tea, and Aloysius started talking about Solrai, of course.

"I think I may meet her in Hamsterdam on Valentine's Day, so we can go around town, I don't yet know what we'll do then, and I might take her to Planet Horatio, but I'd rather take her somewhere...well, nicer."

"Then cook her something yourself," MK suggested.

"What?! Did you tell me to cook her?"

"Cook her something!"

"Oh! S-Sorry!"

"Aloysius...have you been drinking?"

"Uh...y-yes?"

MK sighed. "I'm...going to look for Arkcher. You should probably go to bed soon."

 

----------------------------

 

MK left the Tea Room, and at the exact moment she did, Arkcher had left the bedroom to go look for her. MK started by going into the hallway of the 2nd floor, which she was on now. Arkcher started by leaving the corridor where the bedrooms were, and started to look around also on the 2nd floor, but the areas where they were both looking were not connected by any hallways. Arkcher looked through the Wardrobe room, the Parlor, the Anteroom, and the smaller balcony (overlooking the yard-there was also a bigger one, as you might know), but no sign of her. He moved back to the Foyer and started looking on the 1st Floor.

MK looked through PMM's room, the two bathrooms on that floor, The Observatory, The "Astral Hall" leading to the Observatory, The Sitting Room, and The Guest Room, but no sign of him. She moved to the 1st Floor.

 

Unfortunately, the two did not see each other; for when Arkcher was looking for her in the Billiards Room, she was looking for him in the Dining Room. This continued until MK had given up and went back to the Sitting Room to lay down, as she needed a break before she moved on to the Basement and 3rd Floor. Arkcher continued looking on the 2nd Floor.

 

When Arkcher opened the door to the Sitting Room, MK didn't notice-or care. She had ordered a glass of water from one of the Household servants and assumed that was who it was. Arkcher walked over by the table, and was about to turn around and see her, but he tripped and fell, on God knows what, and ended up falling on top of her. He gasped and was struggling to get off her when the aforementioned Household servant showed up. He walked over and saw them both, looked confused for a moment, and whispered, "Uhm...is this a bad time?"

"Oh, No! No, of course not!" stammered Arkcher as he leapt off of her. He sighed, and MK took her glass, and the servant left.

She looked up at him, and frowned. "I was going to talk to your father about today, but he was too drunk, and too lovestruck about Solrai to really listen."

[Mushroom_king]

Meanwhile, back at the Port of Cheese, Cheese Woman was trying to comfort Cheesemaster.

"Cheesie, don't let what Arkcher does get to you so easily. He's just...um...going through a phase...I guess?"

Cheesemaster sighed and threw himself down onto an armchair. "I don't get it. He's my best friend, and he's going to treat me like this?"

The awkward conversation came to a sudden halt when something came crashing through the roof: It was none other than Kat and Setsuna; Kat looked the same as always, but with no Viking helmet and no coat.

Cheesemaster got up and looked up at his wrecked ceiling, then down at Kat. "You know, maybe I should just stop fixing that," he whispered. He looked up at the damage again, then down at Kat.

"You know, Kat, there's something called a door that most people use to go in and out of buildings.

Kat got up in shock. "Are you for cereal?! I'd heard about doors, but I thought they were nothing more than Legend! And a band!"

Cheesemaster sighed and said nothing, and turned around to get on his computer. As he was typing away, Kat slowly rose up behind him and whispered, "What's wrong with you, Mr. Failface EmoPants?"

"What the ####...?" muttered Cheesemaster as he briefly stopped typing, then went back to it.

That made Kat angry. And when Kat was angry, she pretended to be The Hulk, and as a result she was now threatening to smash up his furniture.

"I'll smash up your precious, precious katanas! The shurikens, too!"

In the background, he could hear Cheese Woman trying to calm her down. Eventually, Cheesemaster couldn't handle it anymore, and he spun around, and shouted "SHUT UP!!!!"

The two girls did shut up, and they looked at him.

"If I take you two to the park, will you stop fighting?"

"Oh, that'd be wonderful! Could we have a picnic?" said an ecstatic Cheese Woman.

"Sure, but you'd better prepare it quick...or at least at a medium speed."

Cheese Woman said nothing as she sped off to Cheesemaster's kitchen to prepare it. She then came out a few seconds later, looking worried.

"Cheesie-kun, you've got no strawberry jam! Or tea! Or strawberries at all! Or Cake mix!"

"Then you'll have to prepare it at your house!"

"Alright! It's right next door. Be right back!"

She ran out, and Kat and Cheesemaster were silent, until Kat said: "Wait, why are we drinking tea at a picnic?"

 

------------------------

 

After Cheese Woman made a picnic lunch of Sandwiches, Tea, and scones (can't forget the scones!), the three headed off for the park.

 

Once they reached it, Kat looked over at the playground. Several happy children were on HER swings, which made her angry again, but not quite as angry as what she saw lining the box where the swings were located.

Kat split off from the group and ran over to the edge of the compound where the swings were. She took out a magnifying glass, probably managing to burn a few ants in the process, and examined the shavings lining the bottom of the compound. She took a handful of the black strips, and let then threw them back down.

"What is THIS?!?!" she yelled, probably angering some parents there. "Is this shredded tire? What happened to the wood chips of my youth?! There's no injury potential in this stuff!!"

"Kat, I think that's why they did away with the wood chips in the first place..." Cheese Woman said. The other two had walked over to see what Kat was going on about.

"Next you'll be telling me that the old metal slide that gave me so many Third-Degree burns as a kitten has...OH MY GOD!!"

And she looked over and saw that the old Metal Slide was now made of some unknown material that was not giving any of the children burns!

"I still have spots where there's no fur from those burns! It reminds me of my glorious, glorious childhood! Though my childhood was not quite as glorious as Cans of Peas, It was still glorious!! Because of those burns, I never have to get a tattoo. Other kids should get that chance!"

"Calm down, Kat! Let's have our picnic!"

"Fine. But I'll be having a word with the staff later on."

[Mushroom_king]

Kat got up and left the swingset, since they were all taken and Cheese Woman said they couldn't play until they ate.

Cheese Woman took out a big, pink blanket and spread it on the soft grass. All the snow had already melted, and it was hard to believe that it had been so cold just a month or two ago. She then took the basket and gave the other two their sammiches and tea. Kat looked at her tea oddly, and Cheesemaster gladly drank it. He drank it because tea was good for your health, and your reflexes too. Kat had never drank it before.

 

"Uh...I'm used to drinking Energy drinks, and soda, and alcohol. Which is probably why I'm so spastic all the time."

"Uh, Kat, why exactly did you crash through my ceiling earlier?"

Kat took a drank of her tea. She barely gulped it down, and started speaking. "Well, you see, I was at the Mall, and trying to teach Setsuna how to sit in the corner of a circular room. I foolishly let her try it on her own while I went to do something else. You must never, ever try to sit in the corner of a circular room without a professional present. NEVER try it at home."

"Um...OK..."

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind...."

Kat took her sandwich and gulped it down, much to Cheese Woman's dismay.

"Kat, that isn't very ladylike to do that."

But Kat had already jumped up and was on her way to go play. Cheesemaster followed her to make sure she didn't hurt herself, much to Cheese Woman's sadness.

 

Cheesemaster found Kat staring at an abstract sculpture that had been placed in the park. She looked at it, and looked at it, and looked at it. She turned her head and looked at it sideways. She got on her head and looked at it upside down. She stared and stared at it.

Cheese Woman was examining the scene from afar. At first happiness erupted in her, for she thought that perhaps Kat was finally beginning to enjoy the fine arts. But that happiness vanished when she heard Kat yell,

"HOW DO YOU PLAY ON THIS?!" And she stormed off and got on a swing.

Cheese Woman sighed heavily as Cheesemaster walked back over to her.

"Oh, Cheesie-Kun! You came back!"

He sat down across from her, but kept one eye on Kat. Cheese Woman sighed again. "And there I thought she was appreciating the fine arts...."

Cheesemaster giggled. "Oh, you..." He sighed as he looked over at her. "I knew she'd say something really weird like that. I've come to expect it with her, though it's still unexpected, you know what I mean?"

She nodded and drank some more of her homemade tea. "You never told me how the food turned out."

"Oh, it's very nice. I like it."

"Thanks. I was out of cake mix so I wasn't able to make any. Plus I think the sugar would have a negative effect on Kat. I mean, she's already going through some kind of psychotic episode."

"That isn't very nice," snapped Cheesemaster. Cheese Woman was about to respond when Cheesemaster saw Dawn, Sterling, and the rest of their family; this would be the first time he would get to meet Richard Rabbitt, assuming that Jakob wouldn't keep him from doing so. He'd only seen Richard the one time at the Rabbitt Manor when he was playing with Julia.

"Look, there's Dawn and her family!" He said, and she looked and saw them. She automatically got up and went to see them. Cheesemaster was confused as to why James and Jakob were wearing coats, but he decided not to wonder. He, too, got up to see them, staying close to Cheese Woman as not to be hurt by Jakob.

"Hi, Mr. Cheesemaster!" shouted Sterling. "Were you and Ms. Cheese Woman having a picnic?"

"Us and Kat, too," he said.

"I like your new dress, Cheese Woman," said Dawn, though he face did look a little disgusted. It was quite a contrast, a pink dress and a black dress.

Cheesemaster looked over at Richard. He was still wearing his Black shorts, white shirt, and black suspenders; in fact, Cheesemaster marveled that they were both wearing kind of the same clothing. Just different colors, plus Cheesemaster had a hat. And glasses.

"He's shy," explained Julia, "And doesn't talk a whole lot."

"Especially not to people he doesn't know very well," growled Jakob, who was even more protective of Richard then he was Sterling, probably because Richard was his son. James glared at Jakob, silently telling him to lighten up.

"What brought you all out her today, anyhow?" asked Cheese Woman.

"I brought Sterling and Rick to play. Julia, James, and Jakob came for 'a stroll', or something among those lines...."

"That sounds like fun. Could we join you, Dawn?"

"I don't think so," said Jakob, gripping his cane even harder and glaring at Cheesemaster. "Shouldn't you be on the corner selling your papers or something? Don't tell me you lost your job."

"I did not lose my job," said Cheesemaster defensively. "I sold a ton of papers this morning, because the cover story was on Hamsterking's birthday and the New Year's party. So a lot of people bought it. And I am now off for the day. But tomorrow I get back on my norma schedule of selling all da..."

"NO ONE CARES, NEWSIE!!!"

"Jakob, please, not in front of children," said Julia. "Especially ones that are not our own."

Jakob stood up straight and adjusted his hat. He gave Cheesmeaster one last glare before Julia and James called him to come with them, leaving Cheesemaster with Cheese Woman, Dawn, Richard, and Sterling.

 

--------------------------

 

"Let me tell you now. Sterling, Richard, listen: planets are always banana-shaped.

Sterling laughed, and Richard tried to constrain himself. Cheesemaster giggled and asked her, "Then how come Invision seems to be round when you look at it from our only habitable moon, Hue?"

Cheesemaster was of course talking about one of Invision's two moons, Hue. Few Invisionists had been to Hue, and a few of them even lived there. The other moon, Error, was not habitable one bit.

Kat cleared her throat. "DUH. Everyone's looking at the planet the wrong way. Whenever they look at it, it's always in a position where it seems as though it's round. But it's actually Banana-shaped. Don't let anyone fool you!!"

"Have you been to the moon?" asked Sterling.

"OF COURSE I HAVE," shouted Kat. "Unless I just imagined it, which is very possible."

Sterling giggled again. Richard said nothing.

"What's wrong, Rick?" asked Cheese Woman, getting on her knees to see if he was alright. "You haven't said a thing."

"Oh," he said. "My daddy was angry because Mommy let me spend time with you today," he said. "I feel like I'm going to be in trouble when I get home."

Cheesemaster giggled, and got down on his knees next to Cheese Woman, and ruffled Richard's blond hair. "Don't worry about that. Jakob's the only one who really cares. The others will defend you if he tries to punish you for something like this."

A tiny smile appeared on Richard's face. "My daddy says you're a bad person. But you don't seem like it."

"Why the fork would your dad say that?" Kat wondered; she tried to keep her language clean for the kids. "Cheesemaster has no bad side. Unless you manage to make him really mad. Which your dad has done. Quite a few times, actually."

Richard became sad again as he climbed onto a swing and sadly began to push himself back and forth. "I think my daddy is really mean to a lot of people. Especially people who don't have a lot of money. And sometimes he's mean to people who just have an OK amount of money."

"It's really very sad. All that money went to his head. At least no one else in your family has become like that."

"But let's not talk about that anymore! Let's play!!" Shouted Kat, as she, too, climbed onto a swing and started swinging.

[Mushroom_king]

[This is an extension onto the las chapter.]

 

Sterling swiftly followed suite, getting help in order to get on the swings. Sterling and Kat were both happy, laughing and smiling, but Richard simply sat there, still moving slowly back and forth.

"What's wrong, Rick?" Asked Cheesemaster. "You seemed really happy when I first saw you at the Manor a few months back."

Richard sighed and said, in a quiet voice, "I've been really scared ever since that murder happened at my house. Mommy doesn't pay attention to me very much. Daddy's always busy. Dawn and Sterling are nice to me, but I don't see them very much."

"Mmm," said Cheesemaster, thinking. "Well, I could spend some time with you, if you'd like, like I do with Sterling."

Richard looked at him and faintly smiled. "I'd like that, but like I said and as you probably know my daddy doesn't like you."

"Well, Dawn could take you into the town and then we could spend time together. Though I am busy a lot..."

Richard looked over at Dawn. "I'd do that for you, Rick. You should have asked me to take you out, and I would. And I will."

Richard smiled, just a little bigger this time. "You will, Dawn?"

"Of course I will," she said.

The moment was then ruined when the group heard the faint sound of a familiar jingle, and Kat leapt out of her swing and ran away at the speed of light, screaming "ICE CREAM MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!"

The rest of the group giggled, and then Richard burst out laughing.

"That kitty, she is so funny! Let's go follow her!"

"Alright," said Dawn, and everyone ran towards Kat.

The Ice Cream man stood by the road next to the park. Kat was already scanning the side, and was ordering by the time the others got there.

"Hmm...I think I'll have this," she said, and she pointed to a licensed character.

Kat turned around and saw the others coming.

"Hold on, Ice Cream guy who probably has a sketchy past! My friends are coming over here, too."

The Ice Cream man looked at the group strangely: two cheese-people who appeared to have stepped out of time capsule, a Catgirl, two finely-dressed young children, and then there were MK and Dawn, who were plain-looking at best.

"I'll have Vanilla, with cookies," said MK.

"Strawberry!" answered Dawn.

"Me too," said Cheese Woman, "I'll have Strawberry too. With sprinkles! And a cherry!"

"I'll just have chocolate," said Cheesemaster. He looked down at the kids. "What do you kids want?"

"I'll share with Dawn," said Sterling.

"Could I share with you, Mr. Cheesemaster?" asked Richard.

"Of course you can!" Exclaimed Cheesemaster. "I don't want a whole lot anyway."

The Ice Cream Man got the group their ice cream. When Kat got hers, she frowned.

"This looks nothing like the character!" she yelled. She popped out the bubblegum eyes, chewed them, and then spit it out. "The flavor already went out," she explained.

[Mushroom_king]

<b>Chapter 40: Stray cat in the park -OR- A young, lonely boy -OR- The Blood Queen</b>

 

After getting the aforementioned Ice Cream, Kat stood complaining to the Ice Cream man, which delayed MK and Dawn's getting of the ice cream, and Cheesemaster and Cheese Woman walked off to sit at a table.

 

"Cheesie-kun," began Cheese Woman, "Aren't you going to eat some? It might melt."

"I promised I'd share with Rick," he said, his voice low and stern, yet it wasn't threatening.

She said nothing and looked down at the table. They were both silent for several moments, both assuming that Kat was still complaining about her ice cream, when the two of them heard a soft mew. The both opened their eyes and looked over on both sides of the tables, both of them giving muffled a "Huh?", and then looking the other way. Cheese Woman looked under the table and emerged with a small calico cat.

 

"It's a kitty!" she said excitedly, petting it, and she giggled. Cheesemaster smiled at her, and reached out to pet it as well. Their two hands were about to touch when they heard someone gasp. They looked up and saw Kat, who was looking at the cat with a strange look of both disgust, surprise, and God knows what else.

"Kat? What's wrong?"

 

Kat's eyes became obscured under the rim of her Fedora, and Cheesemaster noticed for the first time she was not wearing her Viking helmet. Her tone suddenly became intensely serious.

"Cheese Woman, have you ever played Animal Crossing and wondered why a walking, talking bird would keep a caged bird in her house?"

Cheese Woman looked at her. "I...No, I haven't?"

"Don't you think it's kind of strange to be petting a cat whilst you are also talking to one?"

"I..."

"I don't know...It's really awkward for me to see you petting that cat. It's so different from me. I'm sure it's weird for you to see me eat cheese, because the cheese eat is different from you."

Dawn then butted in and added: "Kat, there's a significant difference between eating and petting. If Cheese Woman was Chinese, you might be on even ground."

Kat then smiled finally, and looked at the cat. "It's alright. I'm not mad or anything. I just had a moment there," and she sat down next to Cheesemaster. The cat then jumped out of Cheese Woman's arms.

"No! Neko-Chan!"

She saw the cat run over to a small boy, who they recognized as C.C. Edna. He grabbed the cat, looked up at them, and took a single step back. He then started running.

"Hey! Edna, come back!" Yelled Cheese Woman as she got up.

"Cheese Woman, don't. He-He doesn't like to be around people," Explained Richard. "I've seen him before. My daddy says he'd be the bane of the town if Cheesemaster wasn't here, but I don't believe him one bit."

The group was about to go back to their daily lives, when they noticed their ice cream was all gone. When they looked, they saw that Edna had stolen it.

"Some of my leftover food from the picnic! It's gone as well!"

Cheesemaster was the first to get up, and he shouted, "I'm going to go after him!"

"No, Cheesie-kun! Please don't. It's not a big deal."

"I'm not going to punish him or anything," muttered Cheesemaster, but he knew that none of them could have heard him.

 

------------------------------

 

<i>C.C. Edna, from the planet Skizzenbuch, the planet of Drawings. He's...he's an orphan. And a very stereotypical looking on at that,</i> Thought Cheesemaster as he chased after Edna.

<i>Everyone refers to him as Edna. He's known as the outcast of Invision. No one knows a whole lot about him, not even Horatio. Some have said he's an incredibly talented PSI user. He's probably homeless...or living in an abandoned building.</i>

 

Turns out the later of these assumptions was correct; Edna led Cheesemaster to a smaller part of town that was mostly older, decrepit buildings. Edna ran into one, with peeling plaster on the outside, boarded up windows, and a roof that could cave at any moment. Cheesemaster stopped to catch his breath, and then walked inside.

 

The first room was mostly cold, grey stone; a few shopping carts stood off to one side. He gasped when he heard running steps in the next room, which he guessed was Edna. He clutched his Katana, still strapped to his side, and cautiously walked into the next room. The room was almost entirely empty; there were a few tattered papers on the floor, a ladder pattern drawn on the floor leading about halfway up the wall, and a few other things here and there. It was a very spooky place.

 

Cheesemaster gasped again when he heard a soft, timid voice say, "P-Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry I'm such a thief." He looked around and saw Edna, followed by the cat, come out from behind a wall.

"Do you live here?" Cheesemaster asked.

"No," answered Edna, still scared. "It's too scary at night. Even with the kitty with me."

Cheesemaster walked over to Edna, and he whimpered and braced himself for an oncoming blow, but it never came. He opened one eye and saw Cheesemaster scratching the cat under it's chin.

"This cat gives me an idea for a new technique," he wondered aloud, "That I could use with my Katana."

"Y-You're not going to punish me?"

Cheesemaster looked at him with caring eyes. "Of course I won't. You're Edna, aren't you? The PSI using drawing."

Edna nodded. He whimpered again, and then clung to Cheesemaster's arm; he only looked at Edna with a look of wonder and confusion as the young boy burst into tears.

"Stop crying," Cheesemaster said demandingly, as he held Edna's chin. "You don't have a thing to cry for. If you cry because you have nowhere to live, then come live with me."

Edna was surprised at this sudden offer of kindness. "But how are you going to support me, as well? You're always busy."

"It'll be fine. You just promise to not steal anymore. Come on, let's go back and see my friends," he said, as he picked up Edna (who was holding the cat), and walked back to the park.

 

------------------------

 

"Oh, Cheesie-kun, it's about time you got here. I was starting to worry about you."

"I'm alright. I brought back Edna."

Edna was clinging tightly to the back of Cheesemaster's neck in fright. He looked back at the boy and whispered, "It'll be OK. They're nice people."

Edna nodded and whimpered. Cheesemaster took him down off his shoulders and sat him down in between himself and Richard.

"Hi, Edna," said Richard quietly.

"Oh, H-Hi...w-what's your name?"

"My name's Richard, and most people call me Rick."

"Alright, Rick. It's nice to meet you."

The two smiled at each other, though you could still see the sadness in both of their eyes. They both came from completely different worlds (both literally and figuratively), but they both had the same problems.

 

It was then that the older members of the Rabbitt family came back over. As you can well imagine, he was not too happy about Richard hanging around not only Cheesemaster but Edna as well. He ran over and picked Richard up, only to hear Richard shouting, "Let me down! Let me down!!"

"Who invited the orphan?" Jakob said, mockingly, as he glared at Edna. "Was it not enough that my son was being subjected to the newsie as well?"

"Jakob..." muttered James, putting his face into his hand. "You truly do worry too much."

"Edna's not a bad kid! And neither is Cheesemaster!" said Richard, upset. His voice was no longer the faint whisper it had been most of the day. "Let me down! I was having fun!"

"Jakob, put him down," ordered Julia, glaring up at her husband.

"Don't YOU order me around, woman," he snapped, and then he looked over at Dawn and Sterling. "Come on, we're going home."

"No!" shouted Richard, who began to whimper. "I don't want to go home! I finally made some friends!" And with that he began to cry.

"Stop crying!!!" Jakob demanded, but it was then that James took Richard from his arms and scowled at his brother.

"You can go home. If Rick wants to stay, you'll let him. Sterling, too, and Dawn."

 

Jakob glared at James, and sighed. "Fine then. Fine! You can let him stay around bad influences."

"Bad influence-?" said Cheesemaster, angry.

"I wouldn't go so far to call it bad, Jakob," said James. "Look what's happened to Sterling in recent months. She's been better then ever."

"Hmph," Grunted Jakob, turning away. "Come on, Julia. We're going home."

"Oh.." was all she said, as she followed him. James set Richard back down on the bench.

"I'll have to go have another talk with him," he murmured, running after him.

 

Richard sniffled, and then began to cry. "I'm sorry, Edna! I'm sorry, Everyone!"

Cheesemaster reached over and grabbed him, and held him. "It's alright. It's not your fault."

All of a sudden, the group turned when they heard someone screaming; a scream they recognized as Julia's. Everyone got up and ran as fast as they could to wear they heard it; but what they found was no gruesome murder or anything else, but rather, a young girl who appeared about the same age as Dawn had both Jakob and James all over her. None of them had ever seen Jakob behave this way before; in fact, they hadn't even seen James act that way, and he was a lot less conservative then Jakob was. But they'd never expect either of the brothers to be climbing over an underage girl.

"Dana-" started Dawn, until the girl glared at her.

"I told you not to call me DANA," She snapped. "Call me <i>Blood Queen</i>."

The girl was the same height as Dawn, with a short blond bob, and a heart-shaped face with narrow, mischievous eyes and a small mouth. She wore a revealing purple tee and baggy jeans; a the same golden heart-shaped pin that decorated MK's lapel, Dawn's hat, Vanilla's belt, and PMM's coat also decorated a belt loop. A black, demonic-looking tail finished off the look.

 

"What are you doing, Da-Blood Queen?" demanded Dawn. She cringed at saying the nickname.

She snickered. "I wanted to see the results of two finely-dressed, respectable gentlemen being seduced by a young girl."

Cheesemaster and Edna both groaned. "Using your powers irresponsibly is a horrible thing, D-Blood Queen."

"You don't see me doing that with my PSI."

Dana snickered again, though she said nothing.

 

Dana/Blood Queen was a childhood friend of MK's; she had gone to the same school of magic and PSI back in Dreamtopia; she had attended because she wanted to master Blood Magic, since she had been obsessed with the stuff. Many thought she was a vampire, but it turned out she was not; rather, she was a creature called a Succubus, a creature that had the power to control people, usually men. And she used this power to it's fullest extent. As she was now.

 

This behavior did not go over well with Julia. "Young lady, that is my husband and his brother you have there! Stop that at once!"

"Why don't you stay soft-spoken, lady?" Said Blood Queen, disgruntled. She reluctantly gave up her control of the two brothers. James looked around, confused, while Jakob yelled and leapt off of Blood Queen. "Why in the world as I doing that to someone such as yourself?!"

She snickered again, and the three Rabbitts ran off, with Jakob and Julia looking back at her occasionally, scowling.

[Mushroom_king]

The Blood Queen stood in front of the others, her arms folded and her entire body in a pose that screamed "Yea, Whatever."

"Where's Arkcher?" she asked, looking around. "He was here a while ago."

"He already went back home," said Cheesemaster, "He got to thinking I was trying to take his wife away from him."

She laughed. "Really?! What a dummy. I don't think you could steal anything."

Some of the others giggled, but Cheesemaster was still pretty serious. "I think I might go home," he said. "I wanted to practice a new technique I came up with."

"Can I come?" begged C.C. Edna, tugging at Cheesemaster's shorts. "Please? Please?"

"Of course you can," he sighed. The sun was starting to dip beneath the horizon, and the others would probably start heading home. And they did.

 

Cheesemaster propped Edna up onto his shoulders and head towards his house, and Edna grabbed the cat and held it in his arms.

"Are you ready? You're going to live with me from now on!"

"I think the question is if you're ready," said Edna. "You're going to have to take care of a whole other person. You're adopting me, after all. It will be hard, won't it?"

"It will, but I'm not gonna let that get to me," he said.

"Cheesemaster, why did you adopt me?"

He stopped walking and thought for a moment.

"Because I don't like seeing orphans all alone like that," he said quietly.

"Oh."

"Is that all?" he said, looking up at Edna. Edna shook his head, and they both laughed.

 

Cheesemaster walked in through the door and let Edna down off of his shoulders, who in turn was about to let the cat down, but Cheesemaster stopped him.

"Hold on. It's probably got fleas and I don't want those all over my house."

He walked away into another room, as the cat struggled to get out of Edna's grip.

"Here," he said as he walked back in, holding a small bottle. "This, I use on Kat usually." He walked over and much to it's dismay, he sprayed the cat with it. "That ought to get rid of them. If it works for Kat, it should work now."

Edna let the cat go and it ran off.

"Come on, let's go outside," said Cheesemaster, opening the door, only to have the cat run outside as soon as he did.

"No! Kitty!" Shouted Edna, as the cat made it's way to a corner of the fenced-in yard.

"Oh, good. He didn't run away."

Cheesemaster walked over to a bench and took his Katana off of his hips, and took the blade out of the holder. Edna shivered.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"Stand back," he said, with an extreme sense of seriousness in his tone. "I don't want you hurt."

Edna backed away as far as he could. Cheesemaster took a very deep breath, and then leapt into the air. Edna nearly yelled at him to be careful, but he didn't; he probably knew what he was doing.

 

Cheesemaster took his sword in one hand, and held it horizontally in his hand, and then slowly rose it. He then began to yell:

"DENSETSU NO..."

He then began to fall to the ground at rapid speed.

"...NEKO!!!!"

With that, he struck the ground and a cloud of smoke enveloped him. Edna became worried, until he saw him arise from the dust cloud, his katana stuck into the earth.

"What was that?!"

"Legendary cat," he explained. "Your cat inspired me to make it."

 

----------------------------

 

The two went back on inside and decided to make something for them to eat.

"Go ahead and look around in my kitchen, Edna. Tell me what you want."

Edna swiftly ran over to the cabinets and looked through them.

"Could I have some soup?"

"SOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP?!" came a voice; again, it was Kat. She came through that hole , which was still in the ceiling. "I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT SOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!"

Edna giggled and Cheesemaster sighed as he took the can of soup from Edna's hands. "Alright, alright. Kat can stay for dinner."

"What's Edna doing here? Isn't he supposed to be a hobo somewhere? Wait, Hobos are only adults, and wear knit caps. Edna's an orphan. Big difference!"

 

Edna would have usually been offended by the comment, but he was so happy that he rubbed it off; Kat was just someone who said things like that. That, and he'd just been adopted; so he was being very forgiving to her.

"What kind of soup?" She asked.

"I have no idea," he said, as he started preparing it.

"LEMEH SEE," she yelled, and looked at the can. "OK, I'm fine with that."

"Good," He said.

 

--------------------------

 

After the soup was finished, Cheesemaster gave some to Kat and to Edna, but none for himself.

"Aren't you going to eat any?" asked Edna.

"I will later. I have to make a gift for Mushroom."

And with that, he sat down at his computer (also in the kitchen for some odd reason), and grabbed some discs and began to work.

"What are you doing for a present?" asked Kat, after a long silence.

"It's a surprise," He said. "I have to finished it tonight if I want to be able to mail it to her in time. After all, isn't Valentine's Day next week?"

"Not even next week. It's only about four days away." Said Kat.

"Then I'd better hurry..." Cheesemaster sighed, breathlessly.

 

----------------------------

 

Meanwhile, up on Mt. Jazzeh, Arkcher was planning on creating a gift even better than anything Cheesemaster could ever give to MK. He thought for a long time, wondering what she might want.

 

I already bought her the CD's she wanted, he thought, And she's already uploaded them onto her MP3.

Then it hit him like an oncoming frisbee.

A card so she can buy songs online!

He ran as fast as he could to the wardrobe room, put on a heavy coat, and headed for the Eskimo village, and bought a card worth 1,000H$ (100 American Dollars) of song downloads, and ran all the way back home.

This will also keep her from pirating music, he thought. Arkcher disliked illegal things, and as a result was never too happy about how she often pirated music.

 

His only goal was that he made it so MK liked him better than Cheesemaster; because if she liked him better, it wouldn't matter if he resurrected Joey Ramone, Syd Barrett, and Keith Moon and got them to date her, and then make a band and play for her...well, if he did that, she'd probably enjoy it, but tell him anyway that he was trying too hard.

 

But no matter; he had to stop thinking about it so much. He'd give her the card as a present, and probably take her to Planet Horatio to eat and pay for everything! Well...maybe.

But the holiday was only four days away. So he'd have to make sure he had everything for her ready. Aloysius was also going to Hamsterdam, and said he would take Solrai out to eat as well, but he wasn't sure if he'd eat at Planet Horatio, since he felt it wasn't formal enough. As you know, Arkcher had recommended his father cooking his own meal for Solrai, but Aloysius said he had other plans. Of course, he hadn't told Arkcher what his plans were, so he was left to wonder about it.

 

 

 

[i hope my Japanese was OK.]

[Mushroom_king]

Four days after the last chapter, Valentine's Day came. Arkcher, MK, PMM, and Aloysius were already in Hamsterdam, as were Cheesemaster, Cheese Woman, Kat, and Edna. Cheesemaster had finished his gift for MK, and was excited to give it to her. Cheese Woman was clinging tightly to Cheesemaster, and had her own plans to try and make him fall for her that night. And her handbag was stuffed with cards for everyone. It was still cold in Hamsterdam, so they were all in Winter clothes-Cheesemaster had bought a new coat and pants for Edna.

 

"Well, here we are. The same place we always party: Planet Horatio."

"Yea, aren't there any other places to go."

"Maybe you guys should go to Fried Dragon Palace/Al Gore's Chinese Restaurant," said Kat. She had stayed in the Port of Cheese for three more days and was no coming back home to Hamsterdam. The four of them went inside.

"This is the first time I've come here," said Edna, who was riding on Cheesemaster's shoulders. "You eat here, right?"

"Yea. But sometimes people perform, too. I think tonight it's Schimmislick singing, Who Are You doing magic tricks, Graf Von's ventriloquist act, and Roger might play Piano. I don't know, though."

"Sounds fun!" said Edna, excited. The four of them walk in, and Glowurm was the first to greet Kat.

"KAT! WHILE YOU WERE ON VACATION, I HAD TO WORK EVERY SHIFT!! WHEN I'M DONE WITH YOU YOU'RE GONNA..." He screamed, leaning into her face. But then he looked at Edna, and profusely began to apologize.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know you had a child with you. I shouldn't yell in front of kids."

"It's alright. I'm OK." said Edna as they started walking in. Glowurm stopped Kat for a moment.

"I'm so cereal about that me being mad, you could eat me for breakfast."

 

--------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster went inside and saw MK with Arkcher over in a corner. He looked at the ground, with the present in his hands. A small, thin, square shaped object with pink wrapping paper with a white bow. He would have to wait until Arkcher left her alone, but if he saw him, he'd never leave her.

"What's wrong, Cheesemaster? You look really deep in thought. Are we going to sit down yet?"

Cheesemaster snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh, nothing. I need to give this to Mushroom, but Arkcher might get angry if I just go over there. I'll need to make sure he gets up from their table if I want to..."

"There's your chance! They're both getting up."

"Oh!!!" He exclaimed, and he began to run, but he had to wait until they were out of eyesight. Once they were, he ran over to the table and place the present on the table on MK's side, and hurried away to see Cheese Woman.

 

Arkcher was the first to notice that the package was there. He looked at it, calmly, knowing whatever it was, was more than likely not as good as what he had for her.

"Oh, I wonder who this is from?" she said, as she slipped the bow off. Cheesemaster watched from a distance, while pretending to listen to Cheese Woman.

She slowly took off the paper and what was under was a jewel case with a generic label. It was a burned CD.

 

"Oh, someone burned a CD for me," she said, excitedly. "I wonder what songs they put onto it?" She said as she flipped it over. "Hey, look at all these pointless references!"

 

01. You're My Best Friend-Queen

02. Bein' Friends-Catherine Warwick

03. I'm not in Love-10cc

04. The Boys Are Too Refind-The Hush Sounds

05. Never Tear Us Apart-INXS

06. The Dynamo Of Volition-Jason Mraz

07. Hey Is That a Ninja Up There-Minus The Bear

08. Earthbound-Rodney Crowell

09. Geno-Dexys Midnight Runners

10. Never Gonna Give You Up-Rick Astley

 

"What the-" Said Arkcher, angry. "The Boys Are Too Refined"? Is that supposed to talk about me?!"

MK laughed. "Oh, nothing. I'm sure whoever made this for me was kidding." She looked back at the track list. "With song titles like 'Geno' and 'Hey Is That a Ninja Up There, there's really only one person who could have made this for me."

 

"Hi, MK!" shouted Cheesemaster, and he and Edna ran over to her. "Do you like my CD? I made it especially for you."

"I love it!" She said, ecstatic. "You had songs that describe how you feel and songs to help me know who sent it."

Arkcher got up and glared at him. "Was track Four supposed to reference me?!"

"Mmmmmmaybe."

Arkcher banged his fist on the table, and MK gave him a look that told him to calm down.

"But Arkcher, the first track is for you. The second one was for Mushroom because she's my close friend, but not my best one, and because she likes EarthBound."

Arkcher suddenly calmed down a bit.

"Look on the track list closely," He said, pointing. "There's an asterisk by Tracks 1 and 4. At the bottom it says the ones marked are for Arkcher."

"Oh, I see it now," said MK. Arkcher looked for himself and calmed down a lot more. "So you're not mad that I was being paranoid?"

"Nah, I was over it a long time ago," He said, smiling. "I was never angry about it."

Arkcher started to choke up. "Seriously?"

"I'm so cereal, you could eat me for breakfast, though I ask you don't."

"Hey, don't steal my phrase!" said Glowurm, who snuck up behind Cheesemaster. He was clinging to Woodstock.

"Oh, Hey, Lola." said MK to Woodstock. sHe groaned and said, "Well, it's better than all the "Three Days of Peace and Music" jokes I usually get. Or the ones asking me if I'm friends with a beagle."

Glowurm then spoke as Cheesemaster and Edna sat down. "What do you guys want to eat? Drink?"

Cheesemaster took Edna and placed him on his lap so he could reach the table. "I think we should get a kid's meal for Edna," He suggested.

"Alright, one Hoops's Story. What else?"

"I think I'll have the Blue Note Award," said MK.

"I'll share with her," said Arkcher. "But can I have a Glowing Milkshake? No alcohol please."

"I'll just have a soda," said MK.

"Could I have a glass of water?" Said Cheesemaster.

"Alright, I'll get those for you as soon as possible."

Arkcher looked around after Glowurm and Woodstock left. "I wonder where dad is?"

 

---------------------------

 

Like he had been at Hamsterking's birthday party, Aloysius was outside the restaurant, at the same private table, with Solrai. It was cold, but he had given his coat to Solrai anyhow.

"Aloysius, you look so cold. You really should take your coat back, or at least, let's go inside."

"N-No," he said, shivering. "I-I'm fine..."

"No, you're not. Come on, let's go inside, please?"

"If you insist."

The two of them got up and locked arms as they both walked inside. As they walked in, they ran into Roger, who still had a cigarette in his mouth.

"Hey, old man," he said. "I see you got yourself a girlfriend."

"Uh, yes! I...guess that'd be one way to put it."

Roger took a drag on his cigarette and blew the smoke in the other direction, making a long, thin cloud. "That's real nice. Wish my kind of lady would walk up to me one day."

It was then that the Magician, Who Are You? Who Am I?, walked up behind him. Roger turned his head and looked at her. And he smiled, for the second time in the period that Aloysius had known him.

"Hey, Magical Trevor," He said sarcastically. "I was just talkin' about how I hoped my kind of chick would walk up to me. Never thought it'd be a street performer with a thing for DIY." He blew some smoke in her face. She brushed it away and an even bigger smile broke across her face. She took her hands and put them on his shoulders, and he leaned his head back by hers. "At least it wasn't Cutie Puppet."

He put the cigarette back in his mouth. "Yea, I guess so." He looked over at where Aloysius had been. He was gone, as was Solrai. "Awww, the fine-dressed inventor and his little girlfriend are gone."

 

Turns out that the Fine-dressed inventor, and his girlfriend, were sitting in a far corner of the room, on the exact opposite end that Arkcher was. They had both ordered hot tea and Aloysius was planning on taking her somewhere...but he didn't know where. There weren't a whole lot of places to go in Hamsterdam. If it wasn't so cold, it would have been a good night to perhaps go explore the town and maybe go by one of the canals that are apparently there.

 

"Solrai, do you maybe want to go to one of the canals? It may be cold, but there's no clouds. We can go look at the stars."

"I'd rather look at them from the warm observatory of your mansion."

Aloysius said nothing for a few moments.

"Could...could you give me a tour of the mansion, perhaps?" She said softly.

Aloysius choked a little but eventually swallowed his drink. "Of course, given my son allows it. I'm still amazed at how fast air travel is here."

"Yes, it's really advanced, isn't it?" Laughed Solrai.

"I may want to research it sometime," He said, as they both got up.

"Now, to find my son," Said Aloysius, looking around.

[Mushroom_king]

[There is some mild secks content up ahead, though nothing major happens. Just warning everyone.]

 

"...So, Uh, Cheesemaster...why's Edna with you?"

"I decided to adopt him."

MK and Arkcher stared at him in disbelief. "Whaaaaaaaat?!" They shouted, dumbfounded. "Why?!"

"I...I-I felt sorry for him, all alone like that...I couldn't let that happen to him. I couldn't let him live on the street."

Arkcher nodded. "I see. But are you even sure you can take care of him?"

"I already brought that issue up," Said Edna, trying to raise himself a little higher up. "But he says he's alright."

"I make just enough for me to get by selling newspapers. If I do something else, or work more often, I can support him too."

"That's cool. What do you think you will do?"

"I don't know. Maybe Shine shoes."

"I know!" Said Edna, looking up at him.

Cheesemaster giggled in a joyful way and asked, "What is it?"

"I could help you! I'll also sell papers! I'll also shine shoes!"

Cheesemaster looked at him with happy eyes. "That'd be so nice. But I can..."

"No! I insist!"

Cheesemaster giggled again. "Alright, alright. You can help me. But it'd be kind of pointless to have two kids selling papers in one spot..."

"Why not stand in a different section of town?" Arkcher suggested.

"That isn't safe," Said Cheesemaster. "Maybe Edna should shine people's shoes while I sell papers. Then we'll have two sources of income, and people can get two things done."

Edna buried his head in Cheesemaster's chest and hugged him, and Cheesemaster was about to say something to him when Aloysius and Solrai both came up to Arkcher.

 

"Son!" He said, planning on sitting down, but then realizing he had no room, decided to keep standing up.

"Hi, Dad. What is it?"

"I was wondering, if, uh...I could take Solrai back to the mansion, again? She wants me to show her the entire mansion."

Arkcher thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Eh, sounds good enough. Me and MK will probably be home, probably around 12 or 1 in the morning...alright? I'll see you later, then?"

Aloysius was more than thrilled. "Thank you so much. I'll see you later." He began to leave, but then he turned around again, and said, "Have fun, OK?"

"You too, Dad."

 

-------------------------

 

It had only taken about the span of an hour in order for Aloysius and Solrai to arrive at the Mansion. Aloysius gave her his own coat to protect her from the bitter cold, nearly getting frostbitten himself.

"My son says that one of his household servants used magic to make it so a sort of bubble surrounds this part of the Mansion and the Courtyard to make it match the weather elsewhere," He explained. The two walked in, and the weather changed to Just-Before-Spring, with a few patches of snow here and there. Aloysius took his coat off of her, and the two walked up the hill to the edge of the Wrought-Iron gate. In the yard was a small house, where Arkcher went to build inventions. There was a well, which had no water in it but rather served as an alternate entrance should the need ever arise that they could not use the gates. After opening the enormous gate, the two walked up the steps to the two front doors and walked into the foyer.

 

Aloysius laughed nervously and said, "I guess this could begin the tour. This is the Foyer...the front room."

Solrai giggled with him. "I know. I only guessed as much."

"I think we should start with those bedrooms first, shall we?" He said. He pointed up the flight of stairs; in front of them was another doorway, and up stairs there was a similar doorway with a door leading to the bedroom hallway on the left. They both walked in, and Aloysius showed her the rooms of the Bedroom hallway.

 

This continued for the next two hours, showing her every room in the mansion, and ending on the roof. Two enormous chimneys were on top of the mansion, and Aloysius and Solrai had lit a fire up there as well. It was a little warm, and while around the fire, Aloysius started to tell Solrai about something Arkcher had told him.

 

"Do you remember that room I showed you, with the two boards nailed to the door?"

Solrai nodded. "Yes, I remember you tried to pry them off with no avail."

"Indeed. My son says that when he had the Mansion built, he found that room sealed up. He never was able to pry it off, no matter who he hired to do it. He has no idea what is in the room."

"What did the architects say?"

"They said they had never built a room there. How curious! And he says he's been too afraid to go by it alone; it gives off such a strange aura. He says he's still glad they didn't build any bedrooms on that floor that he has to sleep in."

"But what about you, Aloysius?" She said, standing up and walking around. "You sleep in the Guest Room. It's on the same floor. Does it scare you?"

"I think maybe the Architects were trying to scare him," He said laughing. "But I do wonder how you get in there..." He sighed for a moment and closed his eyes, but opened them in shock when he heard her yelling his name, and he scream slowly got fainter, as if she was falling.

"Solrai?!" He shouted, looking around but not seeing her. "Solrai!!! Solrai!!!"

He ran, carefully, to all edges of the roof and looked down. He didn't see her, and her bright clothing would be easy to see compared to the dullish green grass. He became incredibly worried, and looked up at the two chimneys. He looked in the first one, but it had no way of getting up on top. The second one, for whatever reason, had a ladder on the side; he assumed it had been from cleaning. He climbed up, starting to panic, and called her name down, but accidentally fell himself. It wasn't long until he found himself laying on a golden-yellow carpet. He got up and looked around.

Where the #### am I? He thought to himself; and then he looked over at the door. Two slabs of wood nailed to it. He was in that secret room!

 

"Oh, Aloysius..." Said a voice, and Aloysius was ecstatic to see Solrai standing up on a slightly raised area of the room, and he ran over to her and hugged her. "I was so worried...that you....you had...you had fallen to your death!!"

"Oh, Aloysius, don't say such awful things! I saw this ladder and climbed up, and fell inside! I found it so odd that we found this room just as we were talking about it."

The two looked around and saw that there was a long, low-lying wooden table, and several shelves in the room. There was also a fireplace and a couch. It was a very bright room, with gold tones in color and red as well. It was very beautiful.

 

"But how are we going to get out of here?" Said Solrai as she went over and sat on the couch. Aloysius followed her and sat next to her, and sat rather closely to her as well.

"Oh, Aloysius, why are you doing that?" She asked. He gasped lightly and inched a little away from her. "Oh, it was simply instinctive to me lately. I apologize."

"Oh, please don't apologize for things you needn't be sorry for. It reminds me to much of myself."

He laughed, and he looked at her with a loving expression. "How do you suppose we get out of here, anyway?"

She gasped and covered her hand with her mouth. "I hadn't thought of that until now," she said, worried. "I-I don't see any possible way out!!"

Aloysius said nothing, he simply closed his eyes and kept smiling. This angered her.

"How can you stay so calm?!"

He sighed and leaned up, and grabbed her chin, lightly as not to feel forceful. "We just discovered the room that my son hasn't been able to find for over five years. We should celebrate."

She tried to say something, but only stuttering came out as she slowly threw herself into his arms.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't be so worried after discovering something like this!"

He shushed her, and whispered, "No, No. There you go back to apologizing for everything. You musn't do that."

"I'm sorry for always being sorry," she whispered, and she began to cry.

"Please don't cry."

"I can't help it, Aloysius..." She said, and she looked up at him.

 

He looked at her with his heartfelt eyes and smiled a little bit. He reached into his breast pocket, and took a handkerchief, and wiped away her tears with it. She simply looked at him with disbelief, trying her best not to cry because he wouldn't want her to, but it made her heart skip a beat when he had wiped them away. He had already folded it up and put it back in his pocket, and the two simply stared at each other. Aloysius shut his eyes and leaned down, and he kissed her, which somehow surprised her; but she closed her eyes as well and went with it. He became so caught up, that he ended up falling over, and she gasped as he fell on top of her. He lifted his face off of hers, and smiled down at her.

 

"Well," He said, trying to sound suave, "This is awfully awkward." They both laughed and she sighed.

"I still remember when you took here here a few months ago."

Aloysius blushed. "I-I...Yes, I remember that, too." A smile broke across his face, and while Solrai giggled at him, she suddenly got serious.

"I know what you're thinking, Aloysius."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do. You're lucky I didn't get pregnant that time. I wouldn't want to risk it again."

Aloysius sighed and put his head on her chest, causing her to blush, but she laughed, and he looked up at her.

"Oh, Aloysius, do you know why I didn't get pregnant that time?"

Aloysius tried to contain his laughter. "I don't know. Does it have something to do with how you were a virgin?"

"No, silly," She said. "It's because I've been taking birth control for the longest time now."

Aloysius frowned. "Eh, a little more than I wanted to know," He said, laughing.

She laughed out loud at him. "You say that to me, after what we've done?"

He threw his head back into her chest. "Yes, I did say it, didn't I?"

"Aloysius, you act so silly sometimes," She said. "Such as now."

"I'm not being silly, I'm being in love," He said matter-of-factly. "There's a difference!"

[Mushroom_king]

Solrai giggled and blushed at what Aloysius had said. "Even though it's been over five or six months since we met, I still blush every time you tell me that."

"Tell you what?" He asked, laughing.

"Tell me that you love me."

He sighed happily as he took his hand and put it on her shoulder. He'd been around Solrai so much that he had near forgotten his wife. It felt fine, but he knew it wasn't right to feel that way. But it didn't matter to him; he loved her.

 

"Aloysius, you're not still thinking of...that, are you?"

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "What do you mean, That?"

"You know. Earlier you wanted to have-"

"Oh, yes! That! Well, it crosses me mind now."

"But what if your son finds us? We were lucky he was tired and went right to bed last time!"

Aloysius sighed happily. "Solrai, my son hasn't been able to find a way into this room for five years. Who's to say that he'll find it today?"

 

-----------------------------

 

"I wonder what my dad is doing..." Said Arkcher, back at Planet Horatio. PMM had finally decided to come and join the fun, and he let out a resounding laugh.

"Once again, Arkcher! He probably used that House Tour thing to disguise his true motive: To go DO NAUGHTY THINGS!!!!"

"Shut up!!!" Shouted Arkcher.

"Not in front of Edna, now." Said Cheesemaster. He looked at the boy, who was starting to fall asleep in his lap. "Oh, look...he's tired."

"You mean you're gonna Leave already?!" Said PMM in disgust. "People suck once they take care of kids!"

Cheesemaster sighed and stood up, holding Edna in his arms. "I guess I'll be heading home. I'll see you three later, alright?"

"Bye, Cheesie. Thanks for the CD." Said MK. She got up and went over to him, leaned in real close, and gave him a big hug. Arkcher just sat there being jealous.

 

"I'll see you later. And thanks again."

Cheesemaster stood there, blushing, and smiled. "Uh, You too."

 

Cheesemaster walked through the restaurant, and finally got outside. The cold and quiet was a welcome relief from the heat and noise inside. He sighed heavily, his visible breath floating away. He was on his way to the airport when he was stopped on the bridge over a canal. A hand touched his shoulder, and he became afraid, thinking it might be a sanity stealer; but when he turned around, he was pulled into the arms of a young woman in a ruffly dress and found her mouth pressed against his. It was Cheese Woman.

 

She pulled away from him and for a long time, they simply looked at each other, until Cheese Woman squeezed him so tightly with her arms that he felt he could suffocate. After he was freed from her death hug, he looked at Edna, and was surprised to find him still asleep.

"C-Cheese Woman...what are you doing here? I was on my way home."

She looked at the ground. "I got jealous because you got Mushroom_king a gift, but not me!"

Cheesemaster gasped for a moment.

"D-Did you forget?" She said, her eyes beginning to well up.

"No, No! Nothing like that! Don't cry. Please."

"Alright," she said, wiping her tears.

He stood up straight and sighed heavily. "I didn't forget. It's at home, that's all. If you come with me, you can have it."

She suddenly became very excited. "Oh, how great! Fantastic! Let's go, then."

 

------------------------------

 

After the flight back to The Port of Cheese, both of the teens were surprised to see that the town had gone from Spring weather to snow in the span of a day.

"Come on," Said Cheesemaster, running towards his house, with Cheese Woman following him.

 

After getting to his house, Cheesemaster first put Edna into his own bed; he decided he would sleep on the couch until they could get a bed for Edna. Then he sat Cheese Woman down on on an armchair and got a fire going. He then went into the closet of his bedroom, and got out a pink box, and went back into the living room.

 

"There you go," He said, sitting down in a chair next to her. "Go ahead and open it."

She did, very quickly, and found herself another Lolita-style dress, with shoes and stockings and hair accessories and everything. She was so excited.

"Oh, Cheesie-kun..."

"Seeing the way you dressed the other day, I thought maybe you wanted more outfits like that. So I got you some."

"But Cheesie-kun-"

"You don't have to call me that."

She looked at him, confused.

"You...You don't have to say -kun."

"Cheesie...?"

"I don't call you Cheese Woman-chan, because I think we're close enough to not have to."

She gasped and her eyes sparkled. "Oh, Cheesie-Ku....Cheesie?!"

He nodded. "Even if we're not...you know, lovers. I think we're very close. Closer than best friends, but not as close as two people dating. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I...I do...and Thank you!!! Thank you so much!!! Next time the weather is good I will wear this!!!"

 

--------------------------

 

Four days had passed since Valentine's Day, and all those days had been cold; Cheese Woman was upset by the fact that she might not be able to wear her new outfit anytime soon.

 

That is, until one day, On the 19th, the sun came out, and it was nice and warm out. All the snow melted within an hour, and Cheese Woman was so ecstatic to show Cheesemaster her dress. She slipped into it, and the stockings, and the high heels, and put on the hair clips, and ran towards the street corner where he always was. Joining him was C.C. Edna, who was shining shoes.

"Cheesie! Edna-kun! Look!" She shouted, and the two turned to look.

 

The dress she had gotten was Red, White, and Pink, with lots of bows and ruffles. Her stocking were light pink with tiny hearts on them, her hair clips were hearts, and her shoes were pink high heels.

Edna smiled a big smile, and Cheesemaster gasped.

"Miss Cheese Woman, you look so pretty in that!" He said, sitting on one of the steps where people sat when they got their shoes shined.

"I-I have to say, I agree with what he just said."

Cheese Woman giggled and blushed. "Thanks so much! It fits so well!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

And if you're wondering what happened with Aloysius and Solrai, I'm just as confused as you.

 

-------------------------

 

CC Edna's story

 

Cheesemaster stood out in the snow, in front of his house, on the street corner of The Port of Cheese, selling papers as always. But something was odd.

 

He'd hired CC Edna to shine shoes in order to bring in extra income, and he'd been doing a good job at it as well. But today he wasn't here; he found this odd. Edna had told Cheesemaster he would be a minute, but he didn't expect him to be this late. And too many people were complaining about "The Shoe-Shine kid" not being there, and he knew he would have to find out where he was.

 

Cheesemaster turned around and look up on his roof, and called out "Edna! Edna!! Where are you?!"

He kept looking around, when he though he heard a faint noise coming from the roof. He wasn't able to climb up, but he kept calling for the boy.

"Edna!! EDNA!!"

"I'm in here!" Came the faint voice again. Cheesemaster looked up onto the roof again, and he heard a faint popping sound. He looked higher, and saw a soot-covered Edna coming out of the chimney.

"E-Edna?! What are you doing in the chimney?!"

He walked over to the edge of the roof. A few people glanced over as they walked by.

"I was a chimney sweep back at home. It was the only job I knew I could do. And when I was getting my coat on, I saw how messy your fireplace was, so I cleaned it! I was only going to clean the part you see at first. But then I saw the rest of it was even messier, so I cleaned it. I'm so sorry I didn't warn you."

 

"It's fine. If you're going to jump down, then let me catch you."

"No! No! Your clothes will get dirty! That was why no one ever caught me at home!"

Cheesemaster laughed. "Do I look like some aristocratic boy who throws a fit if his clothes get a stain on them? Besides, my coat is black! No one will notice! And I can just brush it away from my face if it gets there. Now come on, you need to get cleaned up."

 

Cheesemaster was surprised when Edna jumped down with no hesitation; most children would be afraid of getting hurt, even if someone was down promising to catch them. Like Edna had said, he did get a small amount of soot on his coat and hands, but he didn't care. He set Edna down on the ground, and brushed a little soot off his face.

 

"Now, I want you to go inside, wash up, then come outside and be ready to work, alright? I'll shine shoes while I wait."

"Alright!" said Edna, happily.

"Be quick about it, alright?"

Edna nodded, and Cheesemaster stood there for a few moments, before a man came up and asked for a shoe-shine. He left his stack of papers over next to him, and went about it (after a brief explanation about how, exactly, one shines shoes without shoe-shiner). As he was shining the man's shoes, another man came up and asked if he could buy a paper. Without looking up, he muffled a 'Yes,' and then the man said, "I'd like to have a shoe-shine as well."

"Alright, sit down there and I'll get to you next..." said Cheesemaster breathlessly as he was just about to wrap up this shoe-shine. "You can go ahead and read that paper. Just remember to pay me."

 

The man said nothing and sat in the chair next to him. Cheesemaster couldn't see his face or upper torso from the newspaper, but he looked like he was well-off. Eventually, he found himself at the stranger's feet, cleaning grime off his shoes. And the stranger decided to try and strike a conversation with Cheesemaster.

 

"Says here that rich prosecutor Jakob Rabbitt went off back to his home planet temporarily because he was called for a court case. I wonder how that turned out?"

Cheesemaster smiled. "I hope it turned out alright. That man, he's a perfectionist-he's only had one loss in his entire career, and it was to his brother, a defense attorney. His brother also has a one-loss record, which he lost to Jakob."

"How do you know so much about him?"

"I'm friends with some of his family."

"Oh." The Man paused, and flipped the page of his paper. "Are you friends with him, though?"

"Oh, no. God knows how many times I've tried, but he hates me for some reason. I can't see why...I've always forgiven him though. Even though he makes fun of me, and he broke my glasses once...I always forgive him." He paused for a moment.

"But I do hate it when he makes fun of me, or my friends. Or when he acts like he's so much better than me because he's got more money than me. Or when he tries to keep me from seeing his family."

"Sounds like he's not a very good person."

"I don't know," said Cheesemaster. "He is really mean...plus his hat is kind of tacky."

"IT IS NOT!!!!!" Came a resounding yell, and the stranger's paper came swiftly down onto his lap, and it revealed that the stranger was none other than Jakob Rabbitt himself.

Cheesemaster looked at the ground and sighed, and then looked up at him. "What are you doing here?"

Jakob adjusted his hat, and grinned. "I knew I'd be in the papers. I wanted the article on me."

Cheesemaster gritted his teeth. "You're incredibly vain, aren't you."

The two of them stood up, and Jakob, towering over Cheesemaster, tried to seem threatening, but it wasn't working.

 

A fight was stirring up in both of their minds, but before either could say a word, Edna came out of the house.

"Cheesemaster, I'm all-Oh, M-Mr. R-Rabbitt!" He said, shivering and cowering in fear. While Edna was not afraid of jumping off of rooftops, he was afraid of finely-dressed men (and, to a lesser-extent, women), especially when they were much, much, taller than him.

 

Jakob walked over and towered over the small boy, causing him to whimper. "Well, if it isn't the little orphan chimney sweep! Why're you so clean, chimney sweep? You ought to be covered in soot like you always are! What were you doing in the newsie's house, anyhow? Stealing, I assume?"

"That's ENOUGH," said Cheesemaster, going over and grabbing Edna. "He's not an orphan anymore! I adopted him!"

Jakob leaned his head back, and let out a loud, "HA!" and then brought his head back forward. "How's a newsie such as yourself going to take care of a chimney sweep? I wouldn't think you make very much money from selling papers! How do you plan to take care of him, too?!"

"What do you think the shoe-shine stand is for?" Cheesemaster said, angry. "Edna usually shines shoes while I sell papers. But he was cleaning himself off-"

"No doubt from the soot from the chimney, ah?"

"Shut up!" He shouted, as Edna continued to cower in his hands. "You've scared him half to death! Scaring a little kid...you ought to be ashamed of yourself. It was people like you that made his life back home miserable."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it means?! A little orphan boy, who was tortured relentlessly by wealthy people, such as yourself. They hated him because he didn't have money. It's not his fault if he was poor!"

"Well at least I work hard and got a lot of money! It takes a lot of smarts to go to court! I don't see someone like YOU being able to solve a court case anytime soon!"

"What, are you saying I'm some kind of idiot?!"

"Jakob, what are you getting into now?"

 

Jakob turned around and saw an angry James. Dawn was there, too; she didn't have her normal umbrella that protected her from the sunlight, because of the dark, cloudy sky."

"Always bothering him...and now you bother Edna, too. I didn't see you as the type who intentionally tried to scare little kids."

"What do you mean, intentionally? I didn't intentionally try anything," He snapped.

"What you said to him seemed like you were trying to make fun of him, at the very least," Muttered Cheesemaster, trying to comfort Edna.

James sighed and put his face into his hand. "Always teasing orphans...you did this back on Cullough, too."

"James-"

"Enough. You ought to head home, now. Go on."

 

James and Dawn watched Jakob running home, not even glancing back. James breathed in the cold air, turned, and looked at Edna, who looked a little better.

"Say, Edna, would you mind? My shoes are dirty and I'd like a cleaning."

"Oh, that's great!"

"And I think my house's chimney could use a good sweep, as well."

Edna nodded, with a large smile on his face. "I'll do it! I'll do it! I'm great at it!"

 

James sat down in the chair, reading a paper, as Edna shined his shoes.

"So your brother really did win another court case?" Asked Cheesemaster.

"That's correct," Said James. "He was called back to Cullough to work on a case. I haven't heard any details whatsoever, so I really don't know anything. Even this article doesn't say much."

"James, does Jakob really discriminate against people with less money than him?"

"Oh, God, Yes," Said James, his eyes becoming wide. "Back home, he hated anyone poor. He scoffed at them whenever we passed an orphanage or homeless shelter.

Edna looked up at James and began to speak. "All these nicely-dressed men and their wives would laugh at me back home on Skizzenbuch," He said, a look of sadness on his face. "Jakob reminded me of them, with his hat and cane and his nice coat and nice vest and cape and everything else. You remind me of them, too, but you're nice."

James smiled. "I try to be. Whenever my brother made fun of a poor person, I forced him to apologize. If he didn't, I apologized myself. I always defended poor people in court, too."

Edna sighed. "He accused me of breaking into Mr. Cheesemaster's house and stealing!!" He said, angry, and he scrubbed on James's shoe a little harder than normal, but stopped when he realized what he was doing. "I am not a thief! Mr. Cheesemaster is taking good care of me! He puts me before himself!"

Dawn giggled. "Yes, he always does that. He's so selfless."

Cheesemaster put his hand to his face and blushed. "Why do you guys always make a big deal out of it? I do that without even thinking."

[Mushroom_king]

[This was meant as an extension to the last chapter.]

 

James sighed as Edna finished the job and they both stood up. "Because people like you are rare nowadays, especially youngsters such as yourself."

"And if you think they're hard to find on Invision, imagine how hard they are to find on any other planet!" Said Dawn. "I remember back on Dreamtopia, the school I went to with MK, and Blood Queen, Vanilla, and PMM. There were no nice guys there!"

James laughed, and then sighed again. "It's a shame, really. And it seems a lot of women would rather take a man such as my brother over someone who would treat them kindly."

 

Dawn looked over at James, and said, "James, what do you mean? Are you talking about my sister?"

"Julia? I...of course not. I simply used my brother as an example."

There was an awkward silence between all four of them, until Kat suddenly rammed into the middle of all four of them.

 

"Cheesemaster! Dawn! Whoever you two are!" She said, and nearly knocked Cheesemaster's glasses off of his face. She pointed frantically to her pocket. "Setsuna got sucked into another dimension!"

"Again?!" said Cheesemaster, dumbfounded.

"That's the 6th time this month," Moaned James.

"Please, someone needs to retrieve her!"

Cheesemaster sighed. "Do you mind if I use my katana?" He asked, and she nodded. Edna stood back, with James and Dawn knowing they would need to head home soon.

Cheesemaster carefully stuck his katana into Kat's pocket, and instantly the portal vanished and Setsuna popped out. Kat sighed in relief and thanks Cheesemaster, and then went on her way.

 

"What a random event," Muttered James. "At least it broke up the awkwardness. But me and Dawn are going to head on home now, if that's fine with you two."

"Oh, it's fine. And tell Jakob to pay before he runs off next time."

"I will," Said James, giving the money for his own shoe shine to Cheesemaster. "Have a good day."

"You too!" He shouted, and after they had both left, Cheesemaster picked Edna up.

"Alright, little Chimney sweep. This is the time of day when everyone is at work, and I've found that no one who is about at this time wants a paper or shoeshine. So let's go on inside. We still need to figure out a bed for you."

Edna nodded. "Yea, we do. I feel kind of bad when I see you sleeping on the couch."

Cheesemaster smiled at him as he closed the door and got a fire going. "No, you deserve to sleep in my bed for now. You've been sleeping in a building with no bed for a long time now. You deserve it."

 

Edna sat in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace.

"Mr. Cheesemaster?"

He turned around as he was leaving to go look around the house for anything that might make for a bed. "Yes?"

"Why do you always put everyone else before you?"

Cheesemaster thought for a very long time. "I have no reason. It's become an instinct."

"Did your parents teach you to be that way?"

Cheesemaster acted surprised, and quickly turned around.

"Don't tell me you were an orphan, too?"

"No, No! Nothing like that!" He said, acting embarrassed. "It's just..."

Edna smiled. "Oh! I get it! Did you go to a special school that teaches you that sort of thing?"

"Goodness no," He said. "I-We didn't have enough money for those!"

"Then how did you learn?" Said Edna, with a confused frown.

"Well...one way is that I taught myself. But this is all a story for a different day. You sit there. I'll see what I can make of a bed for you."

[Mushroom_king]

[Rich, British D***** bags are a lot of fun to write about.]

 

Cheesemaster went into his own bedroom, where Edna had been sleeping ever since he had first moved in. He didn't think he had a bed or anything similar anywhere, but he decided to check anyway. He searched through his closet, and some storage, but with no avail.

 

He went back into the living room to find Edna flipping through a large, hardbound book with a deep read cover. It was one of many books on engineering and computer technology that Cheesemaster owned.

"Oh, Edna," He said, leaning onto the armchair, "What are you looking at?"

Edna looked up at him, and quickly shut the book."I'm so sorry, Mr. Cheesemaster! I looked at your things without looking!"

"No, it's fine. Do you like engineering, too?"

Edna shook his head, and whimpered a little. "No. I can't read very well. I looked at the pictures."

Cheesemaster sat down in the other armchair. "I want to learn how to program computers, and I want to be an engineer. I want to work with machines."

"Is that why you and Arkcher are friends? He's an inventor, too."

"I'm not an inventor," Said Cheesemaster, folding his arms and looking at the fire. "And inventor builds new things. An engineer works with things that already exist."

"Oh," Said Edna quietly.

Cheesemaster stood up, and stretched for a moment. "Well, I was correct that I don't have a suitable bed for you. Nor do I have room to put it. There's only one bedroom, after all."

"I'll sleep in here," Said Edna. "On the couch. It'll still be better than the beds I slept on back at the orphanage."

Cheesemaster's eyes widened, and he let out a muffled "Ah?", and then said,

"Ah? You lived in an orphanage? I thought you lived on the streets."

"That was only when I came to Invision. On Skizzenbuch I lived in an orphanage...and it was awful."

Cheesemaster sat back down and put his elbows on his knees, his hands bunched up into fists by his face, listening intently.

"No one wanted to adopt me because of my strange power."

"Strange power?" Cheesemaster wondered, his face unchanging. "Your PSI, correct?"

Edna nodded. "Uh-huh. I got in really big trouble one day because I used it on a vistor."

"Wh-What happened?"

Edna's hands bunched into trembling fists and he sunk into the chair, his face full of hate. "I was usually so quiet, but this kid was bragging to me about how he still had his parents, and then he went and made fun of mine!"

"Cheesemaster folded his arms, and while his head didn't move, his eyes looked over to his right, and he folded his arms. "How can he make fun of your parents if even you have never met them?"

"Exactly!" Shouted Edna, nearly jumping out of the chair. "I unleashed one of my weakest attacks on him and I barely hurt him and he started crying and I got punished! I didn't get to eat that night."

"That's horrible," Said Cheesemaster, angry.

Edna slumped in his chair. "It made me so mad. And they didn't do anything about him."

Cheesemaster stood up and picked up Edna. "Well, no matter what happened, it's in the past and you needn't worry about it anymore. Now, We've spent about an hour and a half in here, and we need to do something about a bed before everyone gets off work, because when they do we gotta work again."

 

---------------------------------

 

The two of them walked out of the house, and decided to go to the town square, which was where most of the shops were. There ought to be a bed there, and there wouldn't be many people, either. Cheesemaster stuffed some papers into a bag in case anyone there would want one.

 

"I hope the weather gets better," Said Edna, as he looked up to the sky and saw the clouds beginning to break and the sun finally coming out. It was still cold, and there was still snow, but the sun was still nice. Cheesemaster put his hands behind his head as he listened to Edna.

"Yea, I hope so too, Even though I look darn good in this coat and the scarf."

Edna laughed and tried to keep up, even though Cheesemaster wasn't walking very fast. "That sounds like something Arkcher would say!"

Cheesemaster laughed loudly, and through his mirth he said, "No, because he would be talking about his hair, not his clothing!"

 

Once they got to the shops, the two were surprised; while it was true it wasn't entirely crowded, there were a lot more people there then they had thought there would be.

Cheesemaster looked around, until his eyes fell on a particular area. He grinned, and Edna, not knowing what he might be up to, followed him.

 

Edna found themselves inside a store selling wood and fabric. He clinged to Cheesemaster, and asked why they were here instead of a furniture shop. Cheesemaster smiled, but said nothing. The clerk of the store, a nameless Invisionist, instantly recognized them.

 

"Ah, newsie, and the shoe shine kid. You two brothers or something?"

Cheesemaster shook his head. "I adopted him. And I want to build a bed for him."

Edna gasped. "Build one? But Cheesemaster-"

The clerk raised an eyebrow, and finished Edna's sentence. "Do you even know how to build one?"

Cheesemaster smiled. "I have the internet. I can find out how."

"Now the question is, can you afford the supplies?"

Cheesemaster reached into his bag and grabbed his wallet. "I was saving up money to buy myself some video games, but I think I'll get you a bed instead."

Edna was excited. He'd just given up something he wanted to get for himself, and was getting something for Edna instead!

 

--------------------------

 

"Come on, Edna, help me carry all this," Said Cheesemaster. He grabbed the planks of wood, and Edna grabbed the fabrics, which he assumed were for blankets and pillows. They were all sorts of bright colors, and Edna was very excited.

"We need to hurry and drop these off at home, alright? Then we'll have to get to work."

Edna nodded, and started to run, but he still didn't keep up with Cheesemaster. The two of them had the supplies dropped off just as everyone was getting off of work and were coming by for their paper and shoe-shine. Unfortunately, this meant Jakob Rabbitt would be coming by as well; when he wasn't busy in court, he was usually using the wonders of technology to see if there were any cases back on Cullough. Seeingas it's the horror-story planet and people die all the time, there were always openings.

 

Cheesemaster wasn't worried, but the entire time, Edna was worried that he would come by soon and try to scare him again. But then his worries would melt away when he remembered that Cheesemaster would defend him should that happen.

 

And to make a long story short, it did happen. Jakob tried, unsuccessfully, to intimidate Cheesemaster with his height.

"What do you want this time, Jakob? You're not in the paper today. Do you come here for the sole purpose of coming to make fun of us?!"

Cheesemaster looked and saw none of the other Rabbitts were there. Unfortunately.

"I may not be in there today, but I will be soon. Due to the success of my previous court case, I've decided to become the rampant prosecutor I once was. I must win as many cases as I can, to show people I mean business!!!"

"That's..." Said Cheesemaster, taking in a large breath, "FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantaastic."

Jakob's eye twitched. "Do you doubt what a prosecuting genius I am?!"

"I don't."

"Liar," He muttered. "A worthless newsie as yourself could never understand something like the court system."

This made Edna angry. He turned his head around, and shouted,

"Mr. Cheesemaster is NOT an idiot! He's going to work with computers when he's older! He'll build them, and fix them, and improve them! That's better then standing around in a court room! It helps people a lot better!"

Jakob's eyes continued to twitch, as he glared at him.

"You d*** Chimney Sweep," He muttered through gritted teeth, "You d***, no-good, worthless, ORPHAN!!!" He had a look in his eye, as though he could strangle someone. "You don't know a DAMN thing about my job! I prosecute criminals and they go to jail, or worse! And you say I don't provide some kind of benefit to society..."

"If you're doing such a good job, why don't you do something about the people who mistreated me just 'cause I was an orphan? Right, because you're one of them!!"

 

"Hmph!!" Shouted Jakob. "I've no time to deal with lowlifes such as you two! You can go on doing this! I don't care if you live or die!"

"That's an awful thing to say and you know it!!!" Shouted a random passerby, but Jakob ignored him, and probably shoved him to the ground, his cape fluttering in the wind.

 

Cheesemaster grit his teeth, his eye twitching, like Jakob's had a few moments ago. He'd completely crossed the line, with his statements. Now he knew for a fact that Jakob Rabbitt hated anyone who was of a different social class than him.

 

The rest of the shift worked out normally. When the number of people lessened considerably, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, and the two went inside. Cheesemaster got the wood, first, and some tools, and decided to start working on Edna's bed.

 

 

[Cheesemaster's religion or lack thereof finally gets mentioned next chapter! XD]

[Mushroom_king]

About two hours had passed, yet Edna had not gotten tired; he simply sat in front of the fireplace, flipping through Cheesemaster's books.

 

Cheesemaster let out a sigh and stood up for a moment. He had taken off his coat and sweater, since it was warm inside. He'd also taken off his gloves and scarf.

"Mr. Cheesemaster," Said Edna, "I've looked through all your books. I looked through your big smart-sounding ones, and the fiction ones, and I can't read any of them. Is there anything else I can do while I wait?"

Cheesemaster thought for a moment, and looked at his TV. "You could play some of my games if you wanted to."

"Games? I like those! What kinds of board games?"

Cheesemaster giggled. "Well, I wasn't talking about those...I do have some of those, but they require more than one person to play. And I'm too busy."

Edna looked confused.

"I was talking more about my video games."

"What's that?"

"What do you mean, what's that?"

"What's a vih-joe-jame?"

"It's...it's like-It's a-Game on a TV. Uh, let me show you."

 

Edna climbed down from the chair and walked over to the TV. Cheesemaster fumbled around a bit, until he reached one of his older systems, his Super Nintendo; inside it was his favorite game, which you may remember as I mentioned it early on; it was Super Mario RPG.

 

Edna stared in wonder and confusion as he saw the screen light up. Cheesemaster showed him how to play it, and was surprised at how well he understood it.

"I'll be able to play with you later on, alright? I have to finish your bed first. This is the hard part, building the frame. The blankets will be easy."

"You can sew, Mr. Cheesemaster?"

"Of course I can!" He said, as he started to finish up the bed frame. "Say, do you maybe want this frame painted?"

Edna thought for a moment. "Nah. I'm alright. Besides, those fabrics you must intend on making my blankets out of, they were already colorful!"

Cheesemaster laughed under his breath. "Yes, I thought maybe you would like them."

"But Mr. Cheesemaster, what about a mattress?"

Cheesemaster winked at him. "I'm way ahead of you, kid! I found a couch cushion in the closet earlier. It didn't cross my mind until now."

Edna smiled, but said nothing.

 

Time passed, and Cheesemaster had gotten to sewing the blankets. He decided to stuff them full of old, soft things that Edna helped him gather from around the house, and it didn't take much time. He was going to sew up a pillowcase, but he decided to lend him one of his own instead.

 

Edna looked over the bed, and leaped onto it, bouncing as he laughed. "It's so soft! Thank you so much!"

Cheesemaster smiled. "I'm glad you like it, but it's getting late. You need to sleep, as do I."

Cheesemaster was about to go into his room, when he heard Edna whimper, so he turned his head around.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster?"

"Hm?"

Edna clasped his hands and looked at the ground. "Could...Could you put my bed in your room? I'm afraid. I was scared when I slept in your bed, too, but didn't want to tell you."

Cheesemaster stood there for a few moments, and then smiled, showing Edna that he wasn't angry. "Oh, that's fine with me."

He walked over and grabbed the front of the bed. Edna tried to help, but he shook his head, reminding him to not do things he wasn't able to do, and he dragged it in, placing it just at the foot of his own bed.

 

Edna sat on his bed, kicked off his shoes, and then took off his hat, and then sat by his bed, kneeling, with his hands clasped.

Cheesemaster had token off his hat, shoes, and suspenders, and was about to take off his glasses when he glanced at Edna. "Whatever are you doing?"

Edna's head abruptly went upright, and the two of them looked at each other.

"I was saying my prayers."

Cheesemaster murmured "Ah?" under his breath, and then got back to getting ready to sleep. "After all that's happened to you, with people mistreating you, you still believe in a God?"

Edna shook his head. "At home they always told me God loved me and I didn't believe them. Then I met you and realized they were right."

Cheesemaster gasped lightly, as he looked at him. Edna pulled his blanket up. "Don't you forget to say yours, too."

Cheesemaster smiled sadly. "Thanks. But I don't pray to anyone."

Edna turned around and looked at him. "You don't?"

Cheesemaster sighed. "I don't believe in something I can't sense."

"Oh," Said Edna. Then he smiled again. "What about wishing? Do you ever make wishes?"

"I don't make wishes. I make things happen for myself."

"Oh," He said. "Well, good night."

"Good night, Edna."

"Thanks for everything."

"Hey, don't mention it," He said, and after the light went out they both went to sleep.

 

 

 

[full chapter next time]

[Mushroom_king]

It was the middle of the night, and Edna continued to toss and turn in his sleep.

 

Above him, he saw the black, shadowy figure of Jakob Rabbitt, his evil, hating stare gazing down at Edna. The wind was blowing, and Edna didn't have his coat; He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, in an attempt to become warmer. From above he heard Jakob laugh.

"HA!!" He shouted, his mouth curving into a sickening, hateful smile. "You poor, abandoned orphan! You can't afford any warm clothing for this weather! But I can!"

Edna fell down onto his knees. The wind blew even harder now, and he slowly reached his hand to grab his hat, to keep it from blowing away. Jakob cackled at him.

"What a worthless thing you are! Nothing but a hated blot on society! You are the same as all the orphans! Worthless! WORTHLESS!!" He shouted down at Edna, who was fell to the ground, shivering even harder now. Snow began to fall, and Jakob continued to laugh at him.

Edna began to violently roll around on the ground, as Jakob called his name over and over again. And then he woke up.

 

Cheesemaster had already showered and gotten dressed and was now shaking Edna awake, calling his name.

"Edna! Edna! Wake up!"

Edna made a small moaning noise, and his eyes slowly opened. He shrieked and pulled the covers over his head.

"Edna? What's wrong?"

"I had a nightmare," He said, shivering.

Cheesemaster grabbed Edna, and held him in his arms, but said nothing. "It's alright. It's alright. I'm here now."

Edna whimpered, and started to describe his nightmare to him.

 

"Jakob Rabbitt was laughing at you..." Said Cheesemaster, thinking for a few moments.

"Well, that is awful. But don't be so scared, alright? I'll always be here for you, OK? I'll make sure you're safe."

Edna made a happy sigh, and then Cheesemaster set him back down on the floor. "Now, you'd better go get washed up. I planned to go to the Rabbitt Manor today to see Dawn and Sterling."

"But that's where Jakob lives!" Whimpered Edna, shivering.

"We'll be fine! I'll protect you. Plus the rest of the Rabbitts are my friends. They'll be nice to you."

Edna nodded, and decided he would believe him for now. "But what of our job?"

"I didn't say we were going to see them now," He said, "We'll be seeing them when we're done for the day."

Edna nodded, and went to get cleaned up so they could start working.

 

It had gotten a lot warmer outside, the snow had melted, and the sun was out, but it was still a little bit cold; Cheesemaster wore his normal jacket and sweater, but opted for long pants instead of shorts and knee socks. But he folded up his coat and put it into his bag in case he needed it.

The day went by normally; Edna now offered to clean people's chimneys for them, though that didn't get a whole lot of business. Much to the two's surprise, there were no unexpected visits from Jakob Rabbitt this time. This was unexpected, and extremely odd to Cheesemaster as ever since he had been working as a paperboy Jakob had always come to bother him every day.

 

But no matter; Edna was incredibly happy by the fact that Jakob had not showed up that day, and he was frightened when they both made their way to the Rabbitt Manor, Edna clinging to Cheesemaster's coat and later his leg as they walked there, and eventually Cheesemaster had no other choice but to carry him, and to constantly comfort him so he would know there was nothing to be afraid of.

 

When the two of them finally got there, Jakob was the one to answer the door. Edna whimpered when he saw his face, which grimaced at the sight of them and twisted into a look of pure hate.

"What the #### are you two doing here?"

Cheesemaster frowned at him. "I came to see Sterling and Dawn. I brought Edna along with me."

"I'll not stand for having orphan scum in my household," He said sternly. "I have a standard I have to set for my family."

He glared at Edna, and gritted his teeth, preparing to say something, but closed his eyes and decided not to.

"If you'll excuse me, I have my own business to attend to. Would you please get off of my property?"

"No! I'm telling you, I planned to see Dawn and Sterling today, and Richard-"

Jakob got even angrier. "Don't you DARE try to interfere with MY son!!!" He tried to grab his collar, and Edna whimpered even louder.

"I will not allow my son to have two worthless beings as yourselves in his life!"

Cheesemaster set Edna on the ground, and he started to cry. He cleared his throat, and said nothing but, "Stop that, you're scaring him."

Jakob gritted his teeth some more, and his eye began to twitch as he gripped his cane tightly. Then his face melted into a calmer expression, and he smiled.

"How about you and I have a dual? That ought to show if you're any good to show up in my household."

"I've already had a swordfight with you, Jakob."

"Yes, but I improved since then. It's been several months since you came to my house that day. I've sought to get better than you ever since."

Cheesemaster slid about an inch of his katana out of the scabbard. "We'll see about that," And he went on inside, bringing Edna along, much to Jakob's anger.

 

Jakob and Cheesemaster walked into the enormous, still-grey foyer of the Manor. Cheesemaster slid out his katana, a long, silvery object with an incredibly sharp tip. Jakob took his cane and removed the handle, revealing a longer, more European-styled sword; the Rabbitt family crest was emblazoned on the handle and hilt, which were shaped like a rabbit's head, with the ears as hilts. He lightly gasped as Cheesemaster made his way towards him; he gripped his blade and began to raise it up in attack, and was surprised when Cheesemaster simply reached out his hand.

Jakob looked at him, confused, until Cheesemaster ended up having to explain.

"For one who touts himself as being a fancy, high-class prosecutor, I find it strange you don't know something this simple. You're supposed to shake hands before a duel."

Jakob tried to hide his surprise, but failed; how was it that the newsboy knew something like that and he didn't?

 

Jakob shakily reached his hand out and shook. It was a curious feeling, to be touching the hand of someone he so very loathed. He grunted as their hands disconnected, and Cheesemaster muttered in a low voice, "En gaurde, Jakob Rabbitt," and jumped in the air.

"DENSETSU NO...."

Jakob was so shocked by the sudden action he had no time to react; he couldn't see where the boy could have possibly gone, and he was frantic to find where he was.

"...MARU!!!" Came another shout, and Jakob whirled around to attack, only to have a large circle of dust surround him.

 

Cheesemaster was about to lunge in and defeat him, if Jakob had not turned around and held his sword out in a blind defense. He shut his eyes and became fearful as he opened one, to see the boy's katana clanging against his own sword. He had a look of seriousness in his face now, and Jakob knew he would have to get equally serious if he was to win. He scowled at him and tried to shove him off, but Cheesemaster took his katana into one hand, and started running towards him again. He was now moving very quickly in a sharp, unorganized pattern around Jakob.

"DENSETSU NO...." He shouted, and Jakob had garnered enough common sense t o know he was preparing another attack. But he moved so quickly that he had no idea where he could possibly be going.

 

"...KITSUNE!!!" He shouted, sneaking up behind Jakob and striking upwards, though he hit Jakob with the back of his sword, which was not sharp, as not to injure him. Jakob fell to the floor, and Cheesemaster stood over him, seeing if he had given up.

 

Jakob hoisted himself up onto his elbows, and gave a threatening glance to Cheesemaster. "Speak English, you bloody fool," He shouted, slowly and staggeringly getting up and deciding there wasn't time to mess around anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

[expect more Kat shenanigans next chapter.]

[Mushroom_king]

He stood back up, turning around, and gave Cheesemaster a threatening glance; he smirked, which unsettled Jakob greatly, and said,

"I'll stand here and let you attack me. It's only fair."

"You'll rue the moment you said that," Jakob said in between breaths.

Edna, who stood in the back watching, whimpered; he knew what was going to happen.

"Don't do it!!" He shouted, worryingly. "It's suicide!!"

Cheesemaster laughed under his breath. "I don't think so."

Jakob scowled at him again. "There you go, thinking you have the most amazing intuition ever."

"Who said it was intuition?"

Edna started to choke up. "HE'LL KILL YOU!!!"

Jakob positioned himself an inch away from Cheesemaster, and

Jakob shut his eyes and lunged forward, only to find he had not struck him; he had vanished yet again.

 

"DENSETSU NO...." Came a shout, and Jakob gasped in shock, knowing this was the last hit he could take.

"....SAYANORA!!!!" He shouted again, and Jakob's heart nearly stopped when he heard a loud clang behind him. He turned, slowly, and the boy was behind him.

"You're lucky that missed you," He said, his tone suddenly very serious. "That's my best attack."

Jakob was now beginning to breathe, more heavily then ever. His sword dropped out of his hands and he fell to his knees. "I hate to say this," He said breathlessly, "But you win this time."

Neither of them said anything; and when Jakob finally looked up, he saw Cheesemaster kneeling down, his hand reached out to help him stand up.

Jakob looked at him for a moment, before shoving him away away. "Don't touch me!" He shouted, as he got himself up, and nearly fell down again.

 

"What a sore loser," Cheesemaster muttered under his breath. "Any good man will accept defeat. And no one should just shove someone off when they're helping them."

Jakob growled. "Boy, I'm a prosecutor with one loss. One. Single. Loss. I pride myself in that. I'm not about to change my way of thinking for a sword fight with a little boy."

"That's a horrible way of thinking," Said Cheesemaster, even though he knew he would cause another fight. "If you don't lose, you're not going to learn anything."

 

Jakob scoffed at him. "You really accept losses?! I'll never expect anything less than a win...especially after the way my brother beat me in that case!!

Cheesemaster folded his arms and shut his eyes. "I refuse to say more. This will spark another fight."

Jakob smirked. "So I have won this battle of words."

 

------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster, Jakob, and Edna made their way up to the Dining Room where Dawn and Sterling were; they were over by the wall, examining something. The three of them ran over to them, and saw Kat had ran through the wall. Jakob sighed and put his face into his hand, muttering "I should REALLY stop fixing that wall...", and he went and glared down at the girl.

 

"Well, since I'm here, I ought to hang out for a while," Said Kat, getting up and dusting herself off. Jakob quickly objected to this.

"No, no, NO!!! It's horrid enough that the newsie and orphan are in my house! I can't have this feline in my home now!!!"

"Hey..." Said Kat, scowling. "Specist."

Jakob's eye twitched, as he knew Kat wasn't leaving anytime soon. Edna tried to contain his laughter.

Jakob sighed. "Very well. I'll be getting someone to fix this soon."

"Oh, I can do it if you like." Suggested Cheesemaster.

Jakob swiftly turned his head and scowled at him in disgust. "Don't you even try to suggest something as repulsive as that!"

"I was just suggesting," He muttered, and he picked up Edna.

 

Dawn laughed, and grabbed Cheesemaster's hand and Kat's paws; Edna was scooped up by Cheesemaster, and Sterling by Kat, and Edna laughed when he saw Cheesemaster was blushing now that he was holding hands with two girls. They all were taken to one of the Manor's sitting rooms, which was enormous; even more enormous than Arkcher's sitting room at his Mansion. Dawn already had tea set out for everyone, and two cups of hot milk for Kat and Edna.

"Chai for Cheesie, Green for Sterling, and Black tea for me. And hot milk for you two, because Kat loves it and I wasn't sure what Edna likes."

"Oh, thank you so much, Ms. Rabbitt," He said, nearly dropping his glass in excitement. "You're so nice."

Edna was about to take a sip when Cheesemaster giggled and said, "Let's play Corrupt-A-Wish, shall we?"

Dawn laughed with excitement, Kat was barely containing her joy, and Edna looked confused.

 

"It's a game," Cheesemaster explained to Edna, "Where one of us makes a wish and someone else corrupts it. Here, we'll show you. Make a wish."

 

Edna thought for a long time, until he answered:

"I wish I had known my parents," He said, with sadness in his voice and a smile on his face.

Everyone was silent, until Kat blurted out, "But then you would find out that they're both idiots." And she laughed. Edna looked angry, but then he laughed with her.

Kat stopped, and looked at everyone. "I wish I could live in a box on the moon."

Dawn answered this one: "Yes, but then you would learn that Homo-Hitler lives there with his Moon-Nazis." She took a drink, and then said, "I wish cardboard was delicious."

"What'choo talking about?!" Shouted Kat. "Cardboard is DELICIOUS!!!!!"

Edna tried not to giggled. "Kitty, don't tell me you've..."

"I have! I was pretending to be a hobo once and ate a box. It was the best thing I've ever eaten! I should have eaten the pizza too but I got full."

Edna started laughing even harder now, and was trying not to.

"Yes, cardboard would be delicious....but only to Kat." Said Cheesemaster. "I wish I could play a guitar."

 

Kat took a drink. "Yea, but then no one would care-the new rock fad is the triangle. And the kazoo. And the accordian. Actually, I had a band like that once. I played the rubber band."

Edna was suddenly not able to contain it anymore; he burst out laughing, and for a good five minutes, he laughed, until the other four couldn't keep it in anymore and started laughing with him as well. The noise was quite loud, and they were surprised the windows didn't break.

 

Their laughter melted into slight giggles when James checked in on them. "What's going on in here?"

Richard stood by his legs, scared, but he grinned when he saw Cheesemaster. "It's you! From the park!"

He ran over to him and tried to climb onto his lap. Cheesemaster picked him up and sat him down, and he looked over at Edna, and then looked up at Cheesemaster.

 

James smiled, and then shut the door without saying anything. Richard looked confused.

"Why is Edna here? My daddy would never allow him in here."

Cheesemaster looked over at Edna. "Because I talked Jakob into letting him in."

"Did you two have a duel? My daddy's been mumbling for months about beating you in a swordfight."

"That's one way to put it," He said.

Richard mouthed "Oh," and slowly shook his head up and down. "So that is why he was so angry." The look of happiness melted away and turned into a look of incredible fear. "Oh, no, what if daddy comes in here and sees me with you? I'll be in so much trouble!!!"

Cheesemaster began to look concerned. "I'll not allow that. I'll never allow that."

[Mushroom_king]

Richard looked around and the others, and then up at Cheesemaster again. "Really? But what might you do?"

He was about to say something, but Kat jumped up and shouted, "Because he's Cheesus, that's why!"

"Mr. Cheesemaster is not Jesus," Said Sterling, folding her arms and getting a pouty look on her face.

"I didn't say he is. I said he's Cheesus. Big difference."

Kat was about to do a dance and sing in honor of Cheesus, but she was interrupted by Dawn, who got up holding the tea tray.

"It seems we ran out of tea," She said, and she started to leave. "I'm off to get more. Who wants to get more?"

There came a resounding "Mee!" From everyone, and after Cheesemaster picked up Edna and Kat picked up the other two kids, they went off to the kitchen to get some more.

 

Just as Dawn had gotten more tea and was heading off with the chatty group to to go back and hang out some more, she was surprised to see a looming black figure suddenly appear in front of her; it was none other than Jakob Rabbitt. He turned around, still blocking Dawn's path, and looked at the others. He glared at Kat, and saw she was holing Sterling and Richard in her arms.

 

"What is that thing doing with holding members of my family, my son of all of them?" He sneered, and Kat held them tighter. Edna buried his head into Cheesemaster's chest and Richard cringed. "Hey...stop that, specist."

Jakob sneered at her again, and snatched Richard away from her, even though he screamed at him to let him down.

"Let me down! Let me down! I was having fun with them!!"

"I'll never let you hang out with these type of people," Said Jakob, his voice cold and unemotional.

Richard started to cry very loudly. "Let me DOWN!!! LET ME DOOOOOWN!!!!" He screamed, trying to escape from his father's arms.

"I'm not letting my son be influenced by any of you, no matter what happens."

Richard was now beginning to get violent. "Let me dooown!!!!" He screamed, and he began to sob. "Let me doooown!!!"

"Stop that!!!" Yelled Jakob, and you could see a look of violence in his eyes; any idiot could tell he was trying to refrain from hitting the boy.

 

 

"J-Jakob," Said Dawn, setting the tray on a table and trying to get Richard back from him. "Stop! Stop!"

"I...I can't, Dawn!!"

The others were all trying to help stop the upcoming angry explosion that Jakob might have; unfortunately, it was their help that made him more upset.

"Would you all get OFF OF ME?! I don't need your filth all over me!!"

"Don't talk to us that way!!" Shouted Edna, getting very angry. He jumped out of Cheesemaster's arms, and tried to stand up to Jakob. He was still afraid of the man, but he tried to stay brave to confront him.

"Rick is my friend!" He shouted up at him. As he said it, Jakob sneered at him, and clutched Richard even harder. "That's preposterous! I've taught my son better then to befriend someone such as you!"

Richard tried to tear himself away from his father's arms. "No! Edna is my friend! He's nice to me and he's not a bad kid like you always said he was! The same thing with the others, too! They're nice people!"

Jakob huffed, and threw the boy to the ground. Edna gasped and went over to see if he was alright, but Jakob blocked his way every time he tried to get to him.

 

"Don't you dare interfere with my son, orphan!" He shouted, causing Edna to shiver, but he remained brave. Jakob stood over him, and he seemed, to Edna, that he was a hundred feet above him. The others only watched in fear.

Jakob looked at his hand and then back at Edna. Edna tried, one again, to run over to Richard, but this time Jakob not only blocked his path but struck him with his cane and then his foot; Cheesemaster gasped and was about to attack Jakob, but Kat kept him from doing so.

 

Edna sat up, examined his wounds, and started to cry. Salty tears ran down his pale, bruised face, and Jakob did nothing. Richard looked over at him, but made no attempt to help him; he knew Jakob would just block his path.

"Aww. I made the little orphan cry. Too bad he's got no mother to cry for. She's too busy burning in..."

"SHUT UP!!!" screamed Edna, and he leapt up, and before anyone knew it, a powerful energy swept the room; Edna wiped away his tears, and with an unrecognizable shriek Jakob ended up bruised and beaten, on the floor, against the wall.

Cheesemaster stood there, looking at Edna, and barely managed to mutter "E-edna?" before James and Julia ran into the room.

 

"What's all the ruckus? What happened?" He looked around and saw the bruises on Edna, Richard on the floor, and Jakob against the wall. "What happened?!" he repeated.

Jakob stood up, walked swiftly over to Cheesemaster, and grabbing his collar, muttered through gritted teeth, "You'd better get the #### out of my house," And threw him on the floor.

"Jakob?! What did you do this time?!"

"These things were being a bad influence on my son, and the orphan seems to have some freak power. I thought Dawn was enough."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Dawn said defensively, until Cheesemaster calmed her down.

Jakob began to speak again, but Julia stopped him; she then grabbed Richard and tried to comfort him, and stayed clinging to her. After looking at his head and looking through his hair, she did something she rarely did; she spoke.

"Jakob, I see a large bruise here on his skull. What did you do to him?"

"He threw him to the ground!!" Dawn yelled without second thought. Julia silently gasped.

"Jakob...how could you do that to our one son? You ought to be ashamed of yourself...and I heard all about how you were beaten in a swordfight you started, and I'm assuming you must have beaten one or more of the kids-"

"Don't you dare speak to me unless you are spoken to, Woman!!!" He shouted, causing her to shrivel down in fear. James started to confront him, and the others left before a fight erupted.

 

-----------------------------

 

It was late when Cheesemaster and Edna got home; they had planned to eat dinner at the Rabbitt's, but obviously that plan did not work out, and now they both ate at home. Cheesemaster was making some macaroni for Edna after he patched up Edna's wounds. Cheesemaster had taken off his sweater and coat like he usually did when he was inside his house.

 

This was the first night since they had first met that Edna did not say a single word as dinner was being made; usually he struck up a conversation, but tonight he did not; not until they were both eating. Edna looked up over at Cheesemaster, and said quietly, "Mr. Cheesemaster, aren't you going to eat something?"

He looked at Edna, and grinned. "I'm not hungry."

"What do you mean? When I say that, you make me eat anyway. What makes you able to deviate from that rule?"

Cheesemaster giggled. "Deviate? That's an awful big word for someone as young as you."

"You're doing this because we don't have enough money, aren't you?"

Cheesemaster said nothing for a moment. "No, it's nothing like that."

Edna started to sob a little bit. "We really are poor, aren't we?"

Cheesemaster got upset at this. "Don't talk like that! It's not like we're starving or anything! I'm pretty well-off, compared to...well, the way I was at home!"

"Why do you say that? I'm sure you already told me that you weren't an orphan...you were poor, ah?"

"Some...Something like that. I don't like talking about this, alright?!" He shouted, becoming upset. "Please. I just want to forget everything that's happened to me, and forgive everyone who wronged me."

"Even Jakob?"

Cheesemaster nodded. "Yes, even him."

"How can you forgive someone like that?!" Said Edna, getting angry. "Surely you saw what he did to me, and to his own son even!!"

"I saw that. I saw that, Edna. I'm not blind."

Edna began to sob. "You don't care do you?!"

"Don't say that!!!" He shouted. "I do care! I hate seeing him abuse you like that!! Don't ever say I don't care about you!"

"Why should anyone care about me? I'm not even your real brother or son! It doesn't count!"

Cheesemaster began to sob with him, and he ran over to him, and picked him up and threw him into his arms.

"It counts every last bit!!! Don't ever say something like that!"

The two of them sobbed for what seemed like an eternity, and then looked at each other. Cheesemaster wiped his tears, and then Edna's, and then he smiled at him.

"If you're done, then let's go to bed."

 

-----------------------------

 

The next day, the two of them had gotten up early; Cheesemaster wanted to do some reading, and Edna pretended he could get up early too, but he fell asleep in the armchair. The house was completely silent, save for the flipping of the page of Cheesemaster's book, until a loud crash was heard, waking Edna up instantly. It was Kat, with a top hat, monocle, and curly mustache.

 

"I HAVE TEN DOLLARS!!!!!!" She yelled, pointing a gun at the two of them. "Now fork over all money and women, too!"

"No."

"Blast! Foiled again!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bLAST! FOILED AGAIN!]

[Mushroom_king]

Later on that day, during the working hours when the two boys went inside, Cheesemaster and Edna both sat in the living room in the plush armchairs. Cheesemaster was reading a large book, while Edna drew a picture using another book as a hard surface. Soon enough, he put his crayons back in the box they came from, got up, and tugged at Cheesemaster's sleeve. As always he had taken off his jacket and sweater, as he did when he was inside.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster! Mr. Cheesemaster! Come look at what I made!"

Cheesemaster lifted his head, his brain having been in deep thought from reading. Edna waved the picture, and Cheesemaster gently took it from him.

Drawn on the paper was a crude crayon sketch of Cheesemaster and Edna being threatened by Kat, with the same attire she'd worn that morning.

 

Cheesemaster giggled. "That was funny when she broke in and threatened us."

"Does she do that a lot?" asked Edna.

"All the time," He responded, laughing. He set the book on a small desk and got up, heading for the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Edna said, following him.

Cheesemaster looked down at him. "I'm going to Hang this up on the fridge. That's fine, right?"

Edna's eyes sparkled with joy. "R-really?"

"Of course! I love it!" He exclaimed as he walked into the kitchen. He glanced at the photographs of him with Cheese Woman, Kat, MK, and Arkcher; there was also one that Dawn was supposed to be in, but they learned that day that vampires do not show up in photos.

 

Cheesemaster took a magnet and used it to hang the picture next to a photo of Edna. Then, he looked at it for a moment, and then looked at Edna.

"Edna, when is your birthday?"

Edna gasped lightly. "I...uh...I don't know. But I do know it's on the day I was born!"

Cheesemaster laughed. "That sounds like something Kat would say," He said, and he sat down in a chair. "Well, when do you think it may have been?"

 

Edna thought for a moment. "I don't know. When do you think it is?"

"Well, I stayed up a long time last night in bed wondering. I ended up looking online to see if there was any data on you, but unfortunately there was no data about your date of birth."

Edna gasped. "There's information on me online?!"

"Oh, don't worry! I searched the Universal Database. It contains information on everyone who was ever born, ever." He was silent for a moment. "And everyone who was made, too."

"That's a lot of information, huh?" Said Edna. "But what do you mean, made?"

"Uh...I-I meant, say, robots. Robots are made, not born."

Edna sat down in another chair. He looked sad. "What about people who were drawn?"

Cheesemaster reached over and gently touched his chin. "Everyone who ever existed no matter how they were made are on there!"

Edna smiled. "Good! Everyone is there!" He thought for a moment. "That's an awful lot of information."

"It's a shame there wasn't information on your birthday, though. Why don't we make up a birth date for you? We can go to Planet Horatio to celebrate and I'll get you a present or two."

"Really?! You want to do that?!"

He nodded.

 

The two of them sat looking at a small pocket calender; you know, the kind where all the months are shown as squares on a card. They thought for a long time, until Cheesemaster decided to make it soon.

"How about March 1st? That seems good, ah?"

Edna nodded. "Sounds great!"

 

---------------------------

 

March 1st was only three days away from that date, so Cheesemaster had to hurry if he was to make or buy a gift for Edna.

He already knew that Edna wouldn't want very much; and it wasn't like he could afford much. So Cheesemaster simply decided to make something for him instead.

 

On February 28th, the two took a boat to Hamsterdam. Cheesemaster decided to take a boat instead of a plane, even though the trip would be longer. It was still cold in Hamsterdam, which they found odd since it was warm at the Port of Cheese; as a result, they had to pack their long coats.

 

"I got us a boat ticket so you could look at the ocean while we travel," Said Cheesemaster as he held Edna's hand, and held Edna's bag in his other hand. The two of them then boarded the ship.

 

----------------------------------

 

After boarding the ship, Edna and Cheesemaster went to their cabin, a nice room with a warm set of colors for the decorations and furniture, including a warm fireplace and a large bed with red blankets and pillows.

 

"Looks like you and I are sharing a bed tonight," Said Cheesemaster, setting his bag on the table, and then taking Edna's and placing it next to his.

"Well, do you want to go outside and look at the ocean? We have all night."

Edna nodded, and he grinned as Cheesemaster picked him up and held him.

 

The two of them walked out onto the deck. It was sundown when they prepared to leave and it was now nearing dinner, and after dinner they would both probably go to sleep.

It was starting to get chilly out, so they both put on their coats, and went onto the deck. There was nothing to see but ocean all around the boat; the wind gently blew both of the boy's hair, and the scent of the salty ocean pervaded both of their senses.

 

"I've never been near the sea before, until I came here." Said Edna, looking up at Cheesemaster. He looked down at him, and noticed that he had climbed the first rail and was leaning on the top one while holding onto his hat.

"Be careful you don't fall in, OK?" He warned, looking at him cautiously.

Edna looked at him. "I'll be fine, as long as you're here."

 

--------------------------

 

The night went by without any huge events; the two of them went to dinner, and then went to sleep.

 

The next day they woke up with Hamsterdam visible in the near distance, and the two of them rushed out to see it just before breakfast. Edna was excited as he thought about his birthday, which he'd be celebrating soon with his favorite person in the whole world, Cheesemaster. Afterwards, they both ran down to go eat breakfast.

 

----------------------------

 

About an hour after Breakfast, the ship docked in Hamsterdam, and the two of them grabbed their bags from their room and decided to go explore the town.

"Where do you want to go, Edna? There's a ton to do here."

Edna could barely contain his excitement. "I'm so happy!! I don't know where I want to go yet!!"

"Well, why not visit Kat first?"

Edna looked confused. "She lives here? I thought she lived in our town," He asked as they started walking.

"Well, she actually lives here; after all, she does work at Planet Horatio. I think she owns another house in the Port of Cheese. Or at least a box."

"Well, let's go see her! Where does she live?"

Cheesemaster thought for a moment. "I think she lives at an apartment complex," He said, thinking for a moment. "Hold on, let me try and remember where those are...Ah, I remember now. Come on."

 

The two of them walked through the city, which was bustling with life, and looked around for any apartment complexes; there were too many too count once they got a little further outside of the city center, and they had no idea where Kat lived. That is, until they saw her standing on a balcony; these particular apartments sometimes had small balconies attached to the rooms, where tenants usually hung clothes out to dry or relaxed on nice nights. Today Kat was without her coat, even though it was chilly out; she was wearing her polo and suspenders, and she was rubbing an iron across her chest.

The two looked at each other with a look of severe confusion, and they could both read each other's faces: They were both thinking Doesn't that hurt?

 

They both ran over and looked up at her, and yelled her name.

"Kat! What are you doing?!"

Kat looked confused. She looked to her left and right, and then said, "Jesus? Is that you?"

"No, idiot! Down HERE!!!"

She gasped. "EL GASPO!!! IT'S SATAN!"

"No, No! It's me, Cheesemaster!"

"Cheesemaster is Satan?! I thought he was Cheesus!"

Cheesemaster groaned. Finally, she leaned over and looked down. "Oh," She muttered.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm ironing. What's it look like?"

Edna looked up at her as well. "Don't you do that on a board usually?"

"That's what she said," Mumbled Kat. "Oh God, I feel like a loser now."

"Why are you ironing your clothes while they're on your body?"

"Because it saves me time."

"Doesn't it...hurt?"

"Is it supposed to?"

"Never mind...anyway, we're here because we decided today will be Edna's birthday, because we weren't sure when he was born. And we're going to Planet Horatio tonight."

"No way. You should definitely come to Fried Dragon Palace."

"I don't think so."

"Blast, foiled again..." She murmured, and continued to iron her clothes.

"Well, we'll see you late-"

"WAIT!!" She yelled. She turned off the iron and put on her coat and a Fedora, and jumped down to the sidewalk.

 

Edna marveled at this, and then Kat said, "All cats and Kats land on their feet."

"Wow!" Said Edna, smiling. "How do they do that?!"

Cheesemaster began to explain how, using as many big words as possible in order to sound smart. Edna tried to understand it all.

"So, uh, where are you going? I'm only going to assume that you're not going to Planet Horatio until later on tonight. What do you plan on doing until then?"

"Eh, I don't know. Probably just wander around town for the day. I don't have a whole lot of money to spend, especially since I bought a handful of gifts for Edna."

"Same here," Said Kat, a little sadly. "I don't have much money either. Even though MK pays us pretty well."

"Me and Edna both work, and it works for us. But it's not quite enough when we need to buy things for other people. Which is why I usually make things. But enough of that. Let's go. I assume you're coming too, Kat?"

Kat nodded, and followed them out of the apartment complex.

 

------------------------------

 

The trio walked around town, with no real set destination set in mind; they simply wandered around the city, examining buildings and window-shopping. It didn't seem long, but before they knew it, it was time to go to Planet Horatio. Kat had to go there anyway, since it was where she worked.

 

Once they got there, Kat got a booth for Cheesemaster and Edna, and that was when Cheesemaster took his bag and reached in, taking out two medium-sized packages. Edna looked at them, bursting with joy, and decided to open the smaller of the two.

 

Edna slowly tore off the paper, which was made of old newspapers that hadn't been sold, and uncovered a beat-up illustrated book on engineering-this time, a copy that Edna could understand. He was excited to open up the next package, which revealed a white box. Inside was a brown knitted scarf.

"I made that scarf myself, and the book is from when I started studying engineering."

Edna was beyond happy. "Oh, thank you, thank you so much! I love it!"

 

"I'm glad you like it," He said, and then he heard a female's voice. He thought it was Kat's but when he looked up, his heart stopped for a moment when he saw it was in fact MK.

"O-Oh! Mushroom!" He said, acting embarrassed. "Hi!"

"Hi, you two. What brings you here?"

"I was about to ask you that. Where's Arkcher?"

"He said he had a big project that he couldn't afford to stop working on," She explained. "He still hasn't told me what it is. Even Aloysius doesn't know."

"Wow, neat! I'm here for Edna's birthday."

"Oh! Happy Birthday, Edna!" She said, grinning at him. "Let's see....You got a scarf, and a book, it seems. That's nice. If I knew it was your birthday, I'd have brought you something, too." She was about to sit down and Cheesemaster moved over for her.

 

Edna looked over at them both. "Say, Mr. Cheesemaster, when is your birthday anyhow?"

"Oh, it's not for a while now. It's in May."

"So is mine," Said MK.

"That's neat!" Was all Edna said.

At that moment, a synth-heavy 80's song started playing; MK got up and grabbed Cheesemaster's arm.

"I love this song!" She said gleefully. "Let's dance to it!"

[Mushroom_king]

But Mushroom, what of Edna? I can't leave him alone."

"He'll be fine. Look, he's already reading."

As she said, Edan was already deep into his new book, and said no objection to the two of them leaving him for a few moments.

 

The two of them went out in front of the stage. No one was up there today, but Schimmislick was sitting at a booth with Graf Von and Who Are You. Roger sat on the stage, quietly playing his piano, occasionally stopping to light up a new cigarette. Cheesemaster looked up at him, and Roger looked back; he took out his cigarette and mouthed "Good Luck" to him.

 

MK took his shoulders by her hands, and he gently grabbed her waist, and they started dancing to the beat of the song. This went on for the remainder of the song, with MK singing along, and when it ended they stood still for a moment, as Roger began playing a slow ballad on his piano. The two of them started a slower dance, and MK finally struck up a conversation.

 

"Uh, you know-uh, you're a real good dancer."

"Of course I am. I taught myself to be a good dancer. Any good gentleman should know how."

She giggled. "Arkcher's a good dancer, too."

"Is he? Is he as good as me?"

"I don't know. You're both good. Which is good, because I'm-"

At that moment, she accidentally stepped on his foot, and lost her balance; she ended up falling into his arms, plunging her head into his chest. Needless to say, Cheesemaster turned red, as did she. She looked up at him; his glasses had slid to the edge of his nose in embarrassment, and his eyes were wide. She smiled, and said "Aww...your glasses are all fogged up."

"T-They are?" He stammered. His face was a deep shade of red.

"You look so embarrassed," She said.

"No, really?" He said sarcastically, smiling to show he wasn't mocking her. "Um, I-uh, You want to go sit down and have a drink or something?"

"That sounds nice!"

Arkcher, come get your wife off me! He pleaded silently.

 

----------------------------

 

The two of them sat at the bar. Cheesemaster looked up at Roger, who was trying to not laugh at him. He looked over at Edna, who was still reading. Glowurm and Kat were both behind the counter per usual, and Glowurm went over to help them. They weren't quite sure where Kat was.

"Well, what'll it be tonight, you two?"

MK thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. I forgot to bring drink money, I only brought enough to eat."

"I'll pay for it, then." Said Cheesemaster. "Get whatever you want."

"R-really? But Ch-Cheesemaster..."

"It's alright."

"No, it's not! You just spent money making gifts for Edna and getting here."

"It's fine! I have money saved at home. Besides, me and Edna make a good amount of money daily."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I'm always sure."

"No, Cheesemaster. Please, you need to keep that money."

"Please! I'm fine."

She sighed. "Fine, then...I'll just have a glowing milkshake."

"You got it," Said Glowurm, and he started making it.

 

Cheesemaster reached for his wallet when he saw Kat sitting next to him. She had two drinking glasses attached to her head, and they covered her eyes.

"Kat, what the...?"

"I got glasses," She said.

He looked at her, dumbfounded. "Whaaaat?"

"I said, I got glasses."

"Kat, are you mocking me?" He said, sounding offended. "I don't take kindly to offensive comments about my eyesight."

"No, I got glasses. This has nothing to do with you."

"If you got glasses, then tell me what you got them for."

"I forgot."

"YOU FORGOT?!" He shouted, and MK simply laughed in the background.

"Wait a minute, these aren't what they give you when you get glasses?"

"NO!!"

"Well how was I supposed to know?!"

"Kat, you see me nearly every day!!"

"You wear glasses?!"

"OF COURSE I DO!!!"

"So that's what they call those things on your face?"

"OF COURSE!!!"

"But they aren't made of glasses."

"Well, they're not supposed to be."

"Well, that explains it. A certain person who is sitting on the other side of you commented on how she thought glasses were sexy, and I thought maybe I could get Oscar Wilde to finally like me if I wore some."

"Uh, Kat...Isn't he dead?"

"Of course not! He lives in my basement."

"More like your closet," He said quietly, and then he turned back to MK. He was blushing again.

"Y-You really think glasses are hot?"

She looked embarrassed. "Uh, Yea, I did say that. I was hoping you wouldn't hear. Or Arkcher."

"Well, Kat isn't exactly the best person to tell someone your secrets..."

"Hey, I could have told Arkcher. He would have gone on a rampage."

 

He swiftly turned and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "He's been really paranoid lately about our friendship. He's been trying to make sure I still like him more than you." She paused to take her milkshake from Glowurm, and started talking again. "I'm surprised he let me go out on my own. Though I think if I had wanted to go to The Port of Cheese he would have been suspicious and demanded he accompany me."

"Well, have you told him you like him better than me?"

"I...It depends what you mean by liking."

"Oh?"

She looked down at the floor as she held her milkshake in her hands. "I, uh...well...I like you both equally as friends. Though you're a little more fun to be around than him. Don't tell him I said that."

"I won't."

"But, I don't think that's exactly the sort of liking he thinks about." She looked at him with somber eyes. "This is awkward to talk about."

"It's alright if you don't want to go on."

She sighed and nodded her head 'yes'. They were both silent for a long time, with her looking at the floor, and he looked at her.

Suddenly, he broke the silence as he got up. "I'm going to go sit back with Edna, if that's alright with you."

She snapped her head up and looked back at him. "Oh, that's fine. I might come by when I'm done here."

 

Cheesemaster got up and ran back over to Edna, and sat across from him. He was reading, but when Cheesemaster came back over, he put in a napkin for a bookmark, and looked up at him, his eyes closes and his mouth curved into a wide smile. He stared at Cheesemaster for a long time.

"Edna, why are you looking at me like that?"

"You like Mrs. Mushroom."

"W-what?"

"You're in love with Mrs. Mushroom."

"I-I-I...I AM NOT!!!!"

"Are too."

"Am NOT!"

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I-I'm not!"

"Are too, I can see it."

"N-No, The light is just bad!"

"There's a light hanging just above us. You are even redder than a sea of ketchup mixed with a sea of blood inside the red sea colored with red markers, red crayons, red colored pencils, and red paint that's on fire on the Planet Mars."

"First off, the Red Sea isn't even red. Second off, you can't light the ocean on fire, unless you're Kat, because then you'd probably find a way to do it. Third off, I'm not in love with Mushroom. She's but my very good friend."

"But then, why would Mr. Arkcher be so upset about you trying to take her from him?"

"Because he's paranoid."

"He's your best friend. Did you have a crush on her years ago before they got married and you told him because he's your best friend and he still thinks you like her?"

"I NEVER had a crush on Mushroom, then or now."

"Ms. Cheese Woman will not be happy to know that you love someone that isn't her."

"I'm not in love with Mushroom!"

"Are you sure? Because you are still blushing."

"I always turn red when someone accuses me of having a crush on someone."

"Who does who have a crush on?" Said MK, standing above them. Cheesemaster swiftly turned his head to face her and tried to change the subject, but unfortunately, there was a small child in his presence...and you know how kids are.

Edna looked at her and pointed to Cheesemaster. "He has a crush on you and has for a long time."

"I DO NOT!!!" He objected, getting angry.

She looked at him, confused, and she, too, began to blush. "Um...that can't be true, can it?"

"It is!" Said Edna, in a voice that sounded as though he was trying to prove a point. "I thought maybe he did, because of the way he sometimes acts around you, and I confronted him and he got all embarrassed!"

"Edna, that's not a very nice thing to do."

Edna looked upset now.

She laughed, and rubbed the hat on his head. "It's alright. Just don't be blurting that around Arkcher, OK?"

Cheesemaster looked up. He looked extremely uneasy now. "Yes, that's a really good idea."

She stood up straight, and stretched for a moment before grabbing her coat from the booth. "Well, I think I'll probably take the plane back home now."

Cheesemaster stood up, and touched her shoulder. "Well, then, I'll walk you there."

Edna giggled. "Awwww. That's cute."

Cheesemaster shot an angry look at him, but it melted when he started talking. "No, No, I'm not doing this because of any feelings I may have, but because a good gentleman always walks a lady home, friend or lover or whatnot."

Edna giggled again. "Alright. I'll wait here."

"Will you be alright on your own?"

"I will! I'll be perfectly fine."

 

---------------------------

 

Cheesemaster walked out of Planet Horatio with MK, and out into the snow-covered streets of Hamsterdam. White flakes came down, slowly, showing up in plain view on Cheesemaster's black coat, as she slowly grabbed his arm, and the two started walking arm-in-arm, much to Cheesemaster's embarrassment. Yet it made him feel good, which he found very odd.

 

The two walked over a bride that went over a canal, and walked all through town, passing many Invisionists (who found it odd that Arkcher's wife was locking arms with someone whom many believed to be Cheese Woman's boyfriend), until they reached the airport.

She turned around, and the two looked at each other. Cheesemaster closed his eyes and turned a light shade of pink, and he said to her, "You know, it'll be awful lonely walking all the way back to Planet Horatio on my own."

She giggled. "You'll be alright."

He sighed sadly, and looked at the sky. "And now Edna probably won't leave me alone about...you know."

"Yea..." She said, as she started to walk in. She took a few steps, and then she looked back at him.

 

"You were telling the truth when you said you didn't...you know, feel that way?"

He nodded. "I never lie, Mushroom."

[Mushroom_king]

Cheesemaster watched MK as she walked into the airport, and was about to go back home. He watched her until she walked into the building, just to make sure she was safe, and then walked back to Planet Horatio. Despite the fact that lots of people were walking around the city, he felt lonely without her.

 

He shook it off. This was no time to be thinking such things. But he couldn't help but feel...well, lonely, without her. It was almost as though what Edna had said was starting to get to him.

Do I really give the impression that I love Mushroom-chan? He thought, and then he slapped himself. I just called her -chan...this really is getting to me.

 

He walked into Planet Horatio, and saw a handful of people had walked in to sit at the bar and drink. Edna was sitting with Kat, who was using body language to tell him a story. He grinned, and walked over to them.

 

"...And when I was done, the WHOLE swimming pool was on fire! I didn't use oil, or lighter fluid, I just lit the entire pool of water ON FIRE!!!!"

"Woooow!" Said an engrossed Edna. The two looked up when they saw Cheesemaster, and smiled.

"I was telling him about the time I lit a swimming pool on fire," Explained Kat.

"I guessed that much."

Edna looked over to a different part of the restaurant, and giggled. "Look! Look! A magician!"

He was of course talking about Who Are You, who was still sitting with Schimmislick and Graf Von. Roger was playing some slow piano jazz, and Edna got up to go see the three performers sitting at the booth. Cheesemaster sat down in Edna's seat, and then scooted over so he would be able to get back in when he came back. Kat, too, scooted over so she was directly across from him.

 

"So, Kat, what happened to your Viking helmet? You've only got a fedora hat now."

"Oh, that. Well, I learned that Vikings didn't actually have horns on the helmets. So I sawed them off. But then I realized I can't put my Fedora on it now, so now I use it as a bowl."

He giggled nervously, and then said, "Kat, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Kat, have I ever given the vibe that I have a crush on Mushroom?"

Kat thought for a moment. "Well, I...I always thought maybe you had the teeniest, tiniest, most microscopic of crushes on her."

"R-really?"

"Yea, but you don't really act it. Dun worry. No one has to know if you really do like her."

"Yea, well she's only my friend. I was just asking because Edna accused me of being in love with her."

"In love? Nah...I just imagine you, well, liking her. Not being in love with her."

"OK. That was all I wanted to know."

 

-------------------------

 

"Today is your birthday? Really! And how old are you?"

The tall, wrinkled old man Graf Von grinned as he looked at Edna. "I'm six years old. It may seem I was an infant when I came to Invision, but the time rules are different for drawings."

"A birthday needs a birthday cake!" Said Who Are You. She took out her wand, tapped it, and in front of everyone was a slice of their favorite type of cake. Even Roger got one up by his piano. Graf Von got up for a moment. Sitting in the booth behind him was his Ventriloquist dummy case. He reached in and pulled out Cutie Puppet.

"Be good, OK? It's his birthday," He whispered to it.

 

Graf Von sat back down with the dummy on his lap. He started to make her sing "Happy Birthday" to Edna, in a perfectly-done little girl's voice (Which was actually the puppet's spirit singing). Edna sat there, fascinated by the doll, until the doll stopped and bowed.

"Cutie loves little kids, but she hates grown-ups," Said Schimmi. "If you ever watch their show here, you'd know that."

"What did you get for your birthday?" Cutie asked.

"I got a scarf, and a book, and I got to come here all the way from the Port of Cheese!"

"You've changed a lot since I saw you at some of the Winter parties, Edna. You barely spoke," Said Who Are You.

"That's because I was adopted by Mr. Cheesemaster! He made me so happy!"

"Is that so? That's wonderful!"

"Hey, everyone," Said a monotone voice. It was Roger; he had recorded his music and was now playing it via the restaurant speakers. "Who's the kid?"

"That's CC Edna," Explained Schimmi.

"Never heard of him."

"Well, he doesn't travel much."

"Say, uh, why did a cake suddenly appear in front of me?"

"It's Edna's birthday. And birthday means cake."

"Nice logic."

 

Roger sat down-just barely-next to Schimmi and Who Are You. Edna grinned up at Roger, who glared down at him. Then he smiled.

"Happy Birthday, kiddo," He said, and he took a drag on his cigarette.

"Edna here was adopted by Cheesemaster recently," Said Who are You.

"Good! That's good. Always nice to have a good parent or guardian around." He looked over at Edna again. "What, were you an orphan?"

"How'd you know?"

"I dunno. Just guessed."

"Well....I was. But I got adopted." He looked at the four of them. Roger had gotten up because there was no room and was now leaning on the seat of the booth. "What about you four? Where do you come from?"

"Sergia, the ice planet," Said Roger. "People say that's why I'm so cold."

"Hwahdeeni, The Illusion planet. It's why I'm so mysterious." Said Who Are You.

"Idollo, a futuristic planet of many things," Said Schimmi. "Maybe that's why I've got so many interests."

"And I'm from planet Jahvtrilo, a planet where everyone has a puppet friend like mine," Said Graf Von.

"That's cool. I'm from Skizzenbuch, the Drawing world."

It was at that time, that Edna heard Kat yelling.

 

"I always wear a hat! When did I not?!"

"That one time."

"Blast! Foiled again! Now I must kill you with a pillow full of bricks! Except I already ate them...they tasted bad. I should have added ketchup..."

"Is Kat being strange again?" Muttered Roger. "I swear to God..."

Edna laughed. "She is always like that!"

"Did you know she once lived on Hue in a cardboard box?"

"I heard she went on a long retreat to the moon. Did she really live in a box?"

"More than likely, knowing her," He said wistfully, and he took a long drag on his cigarette. "She's very different from the rest of us who work here...."

"What do you mean?" Asked Edna.

"Well, kid...the rest of us-me, those three, Glow-we didn't exactly have the greatest lives back at home, you know?"

"Neither did I," Said Edna sadly.

"I don't think anyone on Invision had a very easy life at home," Said Who Are You. "I don't think even the Rabbitts had a very easy life, and they've got a ton of cash to spare."

"Yea...but ####, just look at Glow. Poor kid's got some major psychologic issues. As for us...Well, no one took me seriously back home."

"Why would they do that?"

"Well, kid...." He looked off into space, and tool a long drag. He looked at Edna, and smiled. "I want to travel the whole universe."

"Wooooow! That sounds fun!"

"Heh, yea, it does, huh?" He said, with heavy sadness in his voice. "I wasted about twenty years of my life in that pathetic school system...I've had a few vacations during the five years I've been here. I travelled all of Invision one year, and every year I save enough money to go to a new planet. But I'm not gonna see every planet before I die. No way in #### that's happening..." His tone faded off as he stared into space again. But he grinned again. "Which is why I try learning everything I can about them, which is the next best thing."

 

"What about you three?" Asked Edna, looking at the others.

"I had some psychological issues of my own. It may not seem like it, but I got pretty depressed sometimes...nowhere near Glow, XMyOwnMindX, or Hiro, though. You know them?"

"Nope!"

"A lot of people made fun of me because I was a man with a female puppet," Said Graf Von. "Called me a pervert..." He looked at the ground, and Cutie looked up at him and began to speak.

"You're not a pervert, Graf. I may call you one but you're not. Really."

Graf smiled sadly, but still looked upset. "And when I went to other planets to perform, or just travel...Cutie was my only friend. And you know how that works...when a ventriloquist's only friend is his puppet."

Edna nodded.

"As for me," Said Who Are You, "I nearly got arrested for accidentally using some of my real magic in a show, and not just stage magic. When I finally started using stage magic instead of real magic, it was a lot worse. Everyone called me talented before...and now everyone hated me."

Edna sniffled. Roger looked at him. "Kid, you crying?"

"O-Of course not," he said. "Okay, I am. But it's all so sad...."

"Hey, kid," Said Roger, leaning over and holding his chin. "Cheer up, kiddo. We still got our whole lives ahead of us. Except Graf there. But he's healthy, so he'll be living as long as Hamsterking by the looks of it."

 

Roger held Edna's chin up gently. "So don't be frowning and sobbing all the time, you hear? Enjoy everything you got, okay kid?"

Edna nodded. "I promise I will."

"Good."

It was then that Cheesemaster walked over to get Edna. "Edna!"

"Oh, Mr. Cheesemaster! What is it?"

"Are you ready to go home yet? I already put your things up in your bag."

Edna nodded, and scooted out of the seat, and Cheesemaster picked him up. They were about to leave, but Edna turned around and said Good-Bye to everyone.

"Good-Bye, everyone! I'll see you later, OK?"

"Bye, Edna!" They all said in unison.

"Remember what I told you!" Shouted Roger. "And don't you start smoking like I do! It's bad for you, kid!"

Edna nodded. "I won't! Bye-Bye!"

 

-----------------------------

 

After the two of them boarded the ship and went to their room, Edna started drawing another picture; this time it was of the four performers from Planet Horatio. Cheesemaster tried not to look over his shoulder, that being a rude thing to do, but when Edna was done he came over and looked.

"Oh, I see! You drew the the performers at the restaurant."

"Huh? That's what I drew on the back." He said, and he flipped it over. Cheesemaster tried not to scream in agony.

 

Drawn on the back of the picture was another picture, this time far less crude than the other two pictures he had made, of Cheesemaster and MK in a loving embrace, with hearts drawn around them.

Edna acted as though he had done nothing wrong as Cheesemaster stood there, his mouth gaping in horror. "I spent a lot of time on this one, because I wanted you to look at it and remember how much you love her!"

"But Edna," He said, "I'm not in love with Mushroom!"

"You can't hide your feelings forever, Mr. Cheesemaster!"

"EDNA!!!" he whisper-yelled, as not to disturb anyone else on the boat. "I told you to knock it off!"

"OK, fine..." He said, and he sat down, looking at his picture. Cheesemaster, too, sat down across from him."

"But it is a very good picture," he said quietly. "I can tell you worked hard on it."

"Thank you, Mr. Cheesemaster..." Edna replied. He looked up at him. "So you really don't feel like that for Mrs. Mushroom?"

"Of course not, for a variety of reasons. For one, she's already married to Arkcher, and he...He's already deeply in love with her. That's no secret to anyone. Even Roger knows that, and he never really knows much about anyone. He's already angry that I'm close friends with her...How do you think he'd react if we both had the same feelings for her? It'd destroy our friendship. And while I'm talking about that, I'm very close friends with Mushroom, and if I dated her it'd also ruin our friendship...and Cheese Woman would be deeply upset, too. She's my friend as well, and I hate to see her upset. Are those reasons good enough?"

 

Edna thought for a moment. "I guess," He said, heaving. "Believing you have a secret crush on Mrs. Mushroom is more fun, though."

Cheesemaster giggled nervously. "I guess so."

"But now, I can bother Mr. Arkcher about loving Mrs. Mushroom! Or, I can bother Mr. Arkcher's dad, because I heard he's in love with someone too."

"Oh, yes. He's been dating Solrai for several months now."

"I've seen Arkcher's dad before...but I haven't met him. Is he nice?"

"Oh, yes! He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met! You'd like him a lot!"

"I would? Well, I may just have to visit them sometime..."

"Maybe we can, soon. Mushroom-san said that Arkcher was working on a new project, and he'll probably want me to come and see. I'll bring you!"

"Okay! That sounds fun!"

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher and Mushroom_king were at the mansion on a day in early March. MK has just returned from a short vacation in Hamsterdam, and Arkcher had been working on a new project for several months with the aid of his father. Only the two of them knew about the project, leaving everyone else wondering what it was. The only people outside of the Mansion who knew of the project were Cheesemaster and CC Edna, as MK had told them.

That morning, the couple were getting dressed, and Arkcher planned to show his friends the new project. He'd already sent a note to Kat and Cheesemaster for them to come see it.

 

The couple were in the wardrobe room, getting dressed; a barrier that went up to their necks was pulled out in the center of the room when they changed, which was mainly due to Arkcher not wanting to see MK nude. But today, just as she was about to put her shirt on, he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

 

"Mushroom," He said, "Come here."

She lifted her head out of the shirt, and it was now still in her hand. "Uh, what is it?" She said, nervously walking over to him.

She was almost entirely dressed; she had her pants on, and he looked at her through the corner of his eye.

"Arkcher, what are you looking at?" She said defensively, crossing her arms across her chest. She wasn't entirely nude from her waist up, but Arkcher was not the kind of guy who peeked into girl's bras. Ever.

He looked as he put his shirt on, and then looked at her full-on. She blushed, and he examined her.

 

"Mushroom, did you get a tattoo on your chest?"

"W-Why yea, I did."

His face became angry. "MK, that..."

"I know. It makes you mad. Your religion. I know."

He nodded. "My religion doesn't allow tattoos, you know."

"Yea, I know. But I don't follow your religion," She said as she put on her shirt.

"But Mushroom, why would you do something you know upsets me?" He said as he put on his coat and went to get his necktie.

"Arkyy, you've done things you know upset me," She retorted. "Sometimes you say stuff...or what about the way you treated Cheesemaster on Valentine's Day."

He huffed. "Look, I apologized, alright?!"

"But you've become even more paranoid lately about him."

"What do you mean, Paranoid?! I even invited him today to come see my new invention. Plus, I planned to let him stay the night to show I'm really sorry."

She sighed. "Fine. But it doesn't matter...my tattoo is discreet. You can pretend it doesn't exist."

"I will," He said, as he leaned on the wall in between them, and looked at her with peaceful eyes, a tiny smile curving across his face. She turned around as she was button up the sole button on her coat, and smiled at him. "What're you looking at?"

"Nothing," He said, and he shut his eyes. "Want to play in the snow while we wait for Kat and Cheeseman?" He said, as he packed up the dividing wall.

"That sounds good!"

 

------------------------------

 

The two of them walked outside into the snow; they were no longer in the protective bubble of the Mansion (which was in a state between Winter and Spring), and out into the snow. Arkcher went to go stand under a tree, and MK went off elsewhere to make a snowball.

He had just shut his eyes, when he felt something cold on his mid-back; he felt it, and found it was a snowball. Only one person could have made it-MK. He started to make one of his own, but when he was about to throw it, he stood up, and got pelted in the face, and he fell to the ground. MK, worried, came over to him.

"You...You alright, Arkky?"

She looked at him, worried, but he jumped up, tackled her, and fell down on top of her.

"Tickle fight!" he shouted, starting to tickle her, and the two threw snow on each other. This continued for a long time, until he stopped, and the two looked at each other. The sun started to shine on the area, causing the snow around them to glimmer, and the two of them looked deep into the other's eyes. Arkcher had loose strands of hair dangling in front of his face, and MK had lots of it covering her eyes, until Arkcher moved some of it for her. He leaned down near her face, and whispered to her,

"You know...I think you look kind of cute with all that snow on your clothes.

 

He leaned down, and shut his eyes as if he was going to kiss her...but then they heard someone yelling at them. It was Kat, from the balcony of the Mansion.

"Get a room, you two! We're here! Except everyone else is inside!!"

Arkcher looked, and the two of them got up, brushed the snow off themselves, and walked inside, Arkcher with his hand around her waist the whole time.

 

---------------------------

 

The two went inside, where Kat, Cheesemaster, and Edna were sitting in the tea room. MK broke from Arkcher's grip and gave Cheesemaster a hug, making her husband very jealous. He sat down next to her, and now she was in between the two boys, who were eying each other.

"How have you been lately, Mushroom?" He said, pretending as though it had been a long time since he last saw her; Arkcher would flip out if he knew he had been in Hamsterdam at the same time she had been. So he pretended he had not seen her since Valentine's.

Arkcher looked at Edna. "Why's he here?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Said MK, "He adopted him about a month ago..."

"Really?!" He said, sounding excited. "That's like Mushroom with Sean and Julian, then."

"Mr. Cheesemaster is very nice to me!" Said Edna. "He made me feel much better about myself."

"So, Arkcher, are we gonna see your brand-new invention or not?" Asked Kat, who wearing her Monocle and drinking tea. She had a Top hat on top of her fedora.

"Oh, yeah! The whole reason I even invited you guys over." He got up, and everyone looked at him.

"It's in a secret underground room," He explained. "I do all inventing there. But if I take you guys there, you'll know where it is...hmmm...alright, close your eyes and hold hands." Out of the corner of his eye, he glared at Cheesemaster. "In that order."

Kat closed her eyes and grabbed Edna's hand, who closed his eyes and grabbed Aloysius's hand (Not sure why he closed his eyes-he knows where the room is), who grabbed Cheesemaster's hand, who grabbed MK's hand, and she grabbed Arkcher's hand. Arkcher led his friends out of the room (difficult, since their eyes were all closed), and down into the secret room.

 

---------------------------

 

"Alright, everyone, you can open your eyes now."

They did, and right away they looked to see whose hand they had grabbed. Cheesemaster blushed and giggled when he realized he had been holding MK's hand. He knew Arkcher might not be happy about that.

"Alright, everyone. This may not seem very amazing, but just think of all the work that went into it..." He walked over to a knee-high object with a tablecloth over it. He whipped it off, and underneath was a robot with three square parts: A head, which was only a tiny bit smaller then the other two parts, and had an antenna coming out of it. The first part had a circle in the middle, which was clear. But there were no wires through it, making the others suspicious. The third square had a square drawn on it with a handle. It had four wheels, and two arms.

 

"This," Said Arkcher, "Is Clean Machine! My newest invention! No longer will people think of you as a nut when you talk to the washing machine! I present to you the most hardcore robot ever-he cleans clothes!"

"OH MY GOD THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME!!!" yelled Kat. "I WANT ONE!!"

Arkcher laughed. "Yes, truly! He both washes and dries. But watch!"

He flipped a switch, and the robot's eyes opened. It looked around, all while making no noise. It looked up at Arkcher, and in a voice as clear as day, it said, "Master! Who are these people?" He said as he pointed to the others.

"They're my friends," he said. "And my wife." He pointed to MK.

CM (as he will be called) looked for a moment. "Friends? Wife? What are those?"

Arkcher thought for a moment. "A friend is-Well, it's-A friend-"

"It's someone who's very special to you," Explained Cheesemaster. "Who you can tell anything."

"Oh, I understand!" Said CM. "But the other thing. A wife. What is that?"

"It's also someone who's very close to you," Explained Cheesemaster.

"That only one person can have," Said Arkcher, glaring at him.

"Unless you're a polygamist, which Arkcher is because he's a mormon."

Arkcher rolled his eyes.

"Master, what are their names?"

Everyone introduced themselves to him, with Cheesemaster bowing to the robot in respect.

CM smiled at them. "It is nice to meet all of you! Can you be my friends as well?"

"We sure will!"

"That is pleasing to know," said the robot.

"Come on, Clean Machine. I want to take you up into the mansion, because we're going to have a party to celebrate you being finished!"

Clean Machine smiled. He had a cute smile that made everyone else happy.

 

------------------------------

 

The group went up into the mansion to test out Clean Machine's cleaning ability. As requested, everyone brought a piece of dirty laundry. MK went first.

"I wasn't sure if you meant the actual thing, or the Don Henley song," She said. "So I burned the song onto this CD, and put it inside one of my dirty shirts." She tossed it in.

"Me and Edna were painting the other night!" Said Cheesemaster, a look of happiness on his face. "I got it all over my favorite blue sweater," He said, as he tossed it in.

"I got it all over my favorite striped shirt!" Said Edna.

Kat walked forward, holding her red trench coat. "Let's see...first I got drunk and spilled alcohol on it. Then I went home, still drunk. I got run over by a car and got tire tracks and oil on it. I died, so I got blood on it, and they tried burying me, so i got dirt on it, but then I got better. Everyone was crying over my body, so there's tears on it too. I then went home, and went down to my basement where Oscar Wilde lives. That explains that small white patch there. Then Oscar tried sitting in the corner of a circular room. It exploded, and so some of my coat got ash on it. Then I took a bath, and accidentally lit it on fire. So there's burn marks on it, too. Then that stupid oxyclean guy came over, claiming Oxyclean is Jesus or something, and just randomly spilled stuff on it. I killed him, which got more blood on it. Then I was touched by The Flying Spaghetti Monster's noodley appendage, and I got sauce on my shirt, and then..."

"That's enough, Kat." Arkcher said as he snatched the coat from her and threw it in.

 

"Don't forget me," Said PMM. "One of the ten green suits that all look alike got dirty. I don't know how, but they did," And he threw in a filthy green suit, which as he said looked the same as the one he always wore.

Everyone looked at Aloysius. He blushed and scratched his head.

"Well, you see, I take extreme measures to make sure I am always looking my sharpest. But I will say," He said, as he pulled out a dress shirt that was nearly spotless save for a very small tea stain on the breast pocket, "I accidentally got a small stain yesterday at tea time. I was distraught when it happened...."

Everyone looked shocked, seeing just how obsessed he was with keeping clean.

"And finally, I'll throw in one of my coats. I got a stain on it when I was working," Said Arkcher. Now Clean Machine was full of everyone's dirty clothes, and Arkcher reached for a two side-by-side switches: one said "On/Off" and the other said "Dry/Wash". He flicked it On, and flicked the other to Wash.

 

Clean machine's expression was unchanging as the clothes swirled around inside him. At one points, he slightly rocked, causing Arkcher to grab him; he smiled, and said, "Oh, this tickles."

Soon, the swirling stopped. Arkcher flicked the switch to Dry, and the group heard some machinery inside it, and saw the clothes drop; they presumed they went from the second body-cube to the third part. He started moving again, and before they knew it, their clothes were done, clean and warm.

Edna rubbed his face against his shirt, feeling how nice and warm it was, as Cheesemaster attempted to put his sweater back on (difficult when one wears glasses), while the others put their clothes away. Except Kat, who put her coat back on.

"Did I do a good job?" asked Clean Machine, looking at Arkcher. "Master?"

"You did great," He said, smiling at the robot. CM smiled back, and then Arkcher stood up. "Well, we ought to celebrate! It works!"

 

-----------------------------

 

The group decided to go have a party in the Mansion's ballroom, since it was the biggest room. Of course MK played some music for everyone, and Kat and Cheesemaster played their DS's together, while Edna watched in amusement. Arkcher had a couple dances with MK, and then went to go talk with Clean machine, since the robot called him over.

 

"What is it?" Arkcher asked it. "Why are you sitting over here?"

"Master, what are you doing? What are they doing? I do not understand."

"We're having fun."

CM looked confused. "Master, what is that?"

"It's...well, it's difficult to describe. But it's something that someone likes to do."

"I like washing clothes."

"But is that fun?"

"How would I know if I don't know what fun is?"

Arkcher sighed. "Do you want to talk to me? Talking is one fun thing to do."

"Yes, that sounds good."

Arkcher grabbed a chair and sat down next to Clean machine. They both watched the others for a while, until CM tugged on Arkcher's sleeve.

"Master, I've been thinking about what you said earlier about friends and wives. You said wives can only belong to one person. Why?"

"Because," Said Arkcher, his voice trembling, "I think...well...I think that if one person truly loves someone, they should just have that one person, if they're meant for each other, and no one else can have either of them. No one else can have me, because I'm meant for Mushroom and Mushroom is meant for me so no one else can have her."

"Why?"

"Well, I guess because we love each other."

"But what is that?"

"What is what?"

"The nice-sounding word. Love." He said it slowly, relishing the sound of it, a smile breaking across his metal face as he said it.

"Love? I guess it's hard for me to explain it to a machine. But...well...it depends. I love my dad, but not like I love Mushroom." He looked at Clean Machine, a thoughtful look on his face. "I love you, but not like I love them."

"You love me, Master?"

"I do."

"But how is different from how you love Mushroom and Aloysius?"

Arkcher sighed, and thought for a long time. "Well, I love my dad because he was always nice to me when the rest of my family wasn't. He always believes in me, and he takes good care of me. He even came across the universe to come see me, even if he just wished it."

"I understand," The machine said, still thinking. "Now explain what makes your love for Mushroom different."

Arkcher's eyes sparkled, and he smiled as he shut his eyes. "The way I love her. Well, she makes me fell odd, but in a good way. Whenever I see her, my stomach drops, and my body goes warm, and I feel happy, and excited, just to see her. I care about her, because before we got married she was one of my best friends. She still is, and we're very close to each other. And..." He sighed, and he looked over at her. "She's someone I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Clean Machine looked emotionless for a long time. He was thinking about this sensation his master had described to him.

"Clean machine," Said Arkcher, causing CM to snap out of his thoughts, "Can a robot fall in love?"

"Oh, I don't know, Master. Can I?"

"I haven't met many mechanical beings before. There's GAURD101, but she's an android, not a 'bot. And I can't see her falling in love. But, if Cheese Woman, who really is just living moldy milk, can fall in love, I think a robot can too."

"If I did, maybe I would understand the strange feeling better. But for now I can say it. Because it is a nice-sounding word."

 

 

[awwwwwwww.]

[Mushroom_king]

[in today's chapter, we discuss Suicide, Sex changes, gender-confused persons, Disease, and death.

 

.....using Vihjoe James as metaphor.]

 

The party lasted several more hours, and Arkcher talked Clean machine into joining in. Kat and Cheesemaster stayed the night, in separate rooms of course.

 

The next morning, Arkcher awoke to find that MK was not laying next to him in bed, like she usually was; this greatly concerned him, and he ran off to wardrobe room to get dressed. She was not there, so he checked the Dining room; still nothing. He asked a few Mordreds, and they said they had seen her and the others go to play on the roof.

 

Arkcher went up there, and found MK, Cheesemaster, Edna, and PMM talking to each other. Kat was playing her DS, and Aloysius was practicing his violin.

Arkcher looked confused. "What are you guys playing?"

The four who were talking stopped and looked at him, and ran over. "We found out that we've been playing a video game this whole time! It's called Real Life," Said MK.

Arkcher nodded, but was still confused. "Uh, ok...is it any fun?"

"No!" Said MK, becoming angry. "My last file got deleted when some guy shot me in the head!"

Cheesemaster sighed, "I really need to find a save point so I can log off and get a life."

Edna sighed as well. "In my last game, I died, and when I respawned, I was at level one with no abilities or stats!"

"It's impossible for even me to beat it 100%," said PMM.

"That doesn't sound fun at all," Said Arkcher. He looked over at Kat and Aloysius. "Are Dad and Kat playing, as well?"

"Of course they are. Kat is playing a Mini-Game, and your father is trying to complete the 'Make a Symphony' Mission. It's only available to players who beat the 'Learn a String Instrument' mission 100% with no errors," Explained PMM. He frowned, and then looked around. "Hey, my food stat is running low. We ought to go eat Breakfast."

Cheesemaster turned around and yelled to Kat. "Kat! Breakfast time!"

Aloysius looked up, but didn't stop playing his violin. Kat got up and followed everyone as they walked down to the Dining Room.

 

-----------------------------

 

Everyone walked in and sat down, except for Arkcher, who went to go get Clean Machine. While they waited for him, they discussed Real Life.

 

"Hey, I heard there's a sequel to Real Life called AfterLife. You guys heard of it?" Asked MK.

"I heard of it," Said Edna. "I hear that depending on what quests or missions you do, AfterLife is either a lot of fun, or it's horrible."

MK smiled. "I think that when you complete Real Life, if your game wasn't very good, you'll get a new, completely different file...but your old one goes away, unfortunately. But once you play the game and your game is really good, you get to play AfterLife."

She looked at Cheesemaster. "What about you?"

He leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. A tone of sadness was in his voice. "I partially agree with Mushroom. I think you can play the game multiple times...but...I don't think AfterLife will be released. After you play Real Life, you either start a brand-new game, or nothing happens."

"Nothing happens? But that's...that's awful!" Said Edna.

 

Kat and PMM were about to give their opinions, but just then, Arkcher walked in with Clean Machine following him. Arkcher sat next to MK, and Cheesemaster helped Clean Machine into the seat at the very end of the table, so he was next to Cheesemaster and Arkcher."

Everyone was silent for a few seconds, before MK asked-"Do robots also play Real Life?"

"Yea, I think robots, and androids...and anyone else who was built rather then born plays Real Life."

"You think so, Mr. Cheesemaster?" Said Edna, looking at him. He nodded.

Clean Machine blinked. "Real Life? What is That?"

Cheesemaster smiled at Clean Machine, and began to give him a thorough explanation of the game.

 

"Real Life is the biggest RPG ever. Everyone who ever existed plays or played Real Life. It's very openended, and...well, there's quite a few complaints from the players. For one, it can be horribly painful and depressing at times. S-Some players have even ended their game prematurely because it was too much for them. But there's also lots of very happy moments. But I'll get to those things in a minute."

 

"In the game, you're typically born. When you're born, you're level 1, have no stats, and have only the most basic of abilities. But some players," He said, as he patted Clean machine on the head, causing the robot to smile and shut his eyes, "Are made. When a player is made by someone else, they may start at any level, and may have built-in abilities. Some players are built for the sole purpose of using abilities."

 

"When you play Real Life, there are many goals, missions, and quests you have to do. A few of them are required, like, uh...learning to talk. But most are merely options that make your storyline more interesting. No one is quite sure what the overall goal of Real Life is, but one guild of players, called 'Philosophers', have often dedicated their entire game to finding out why they were even playing the game."

 

"Many players have had arguments over which stat was more important-Money, or Happiness. Well, money is important to Real Life. During the first few levels, the NPCs known as your parents usually buy stuff for you. Starting somewhere around Level 10-13, you have to do good deeds for other players and you earn money from the NPCs. Little to no jobs are available at this point, though depending on where your game takes place, you can...uh, mow lawns, be a babysitter, or, uh...be like me and sell newspapers."

 

"Around Level 16, you must complete the mission 'Get a Job'. After completing the mission, you get a mediocre job, but it'll still generate money. If you want a better job, you have to complete the missions 'Finish High School', 'Go to College', and 'Finish College'. When you finish College, you get the 'Degree' item. You can use this item to get a good job."

 

"Most people only play Real Life for the bonuses: The Mini-Games, the sound files, text files, video files, writing mode, and drawing mode. Unfortunately, you typically have to pay for Mini-Games, Mini-Game equipment, and Files, and you have to pay for the tools in the Drawing and Writing modes, too. But, if you complete the 'Get a Computer' and 'Get internet' missions, you can find some of those things for free."

 

"Now, the complaints people sometimes have. One major complaint is the other players and NPCs. People claim that they are stupid, rude, and closeminded, among other things. Another complaint is that there is no strategy guide; while there are certain text, sound, and video files that are said to help one play Real Life, these files are not licensed by the Real Life developers."

 

"Another major complaint with Real Life the lack of much customization. The Player's gender, name, skin color, species, etc. is predetermined. While there are the "Sex Change" and "Plastic Surgery" items that can change your skin color or gender, these items are horribly expensive. Typically, the players who purchase the Sex Change item are players who think their game has a glitch, and they were given the wrong gender. But no matter; typically, the only customization option one has is the armor. You can buy the armor in a lot of place, but unlike real armor it doesn't really protect you. But the armor can increase stats, like Awesomeness, Charisma, or it can align you with a different group."

 

"Another complaint some players have is the 'Disease' Feature. While some diseases are non-fatal and can be cured with a nap or by getting the 'Medicine' item from certain areas, many diseases have no cures and can end your game prematurely. Some diseases may <i>not</i> kill the player, but rather, make the game much less enjoyable. Or, maybe," He said, adjusting his glasses, "Players just have God-awful eyesight. Typically when that happens, the player has to get the 'Glasses' or 'Contact Lenses' items. Or, if you're British, you get the 'Monocle' item."

 

"Some characters also get Laser Eye Surgery-" He began to say, before Kat interrupted him.

"I'm getting that this friday!" She said, happily. "Soon, I, too, shall have Laser vision!"

Cheesemaster looked at her. "Kat, Laser Eye Surgery doesn't give you laser vision."

She gasped. "W-What?" She said, nearly dropping her teacup. "Then what does it do?!"

"It fixes your eyesight," He said.

"Then maybe you should get it," PMM mumbled under his breath.

Kat's mouth hung agape, and she quickly whipped out a PDA and began to tap away. "I gotta cancel my appointment, then!"

He giggled, and turned back to Clean Machine.

 

"The biggest complaint with Real Life, though...is the Game Over feature. Just about every video game has it....but you always respawn! Not in Real Life...when you get a Game Over...When you beat the game..."

A look of sadness fell across his face, and he sighed heavily. "...You die...."

Clean Machine looked up at him. "But, don't you come back to life? That always happens in Games."

He sighed, and his eyes began to water, but he held it back. "No...when you Beat the game...or when you get a Game Over...or when you Prematurely end your game...You really do die..."

[Mushroom_king]

Clean Machine frowned. "As a robot, I don't clearly understand your concept of death. But I'd prefer you did not explain to me, because 'Death' is such a bad-sounding word. It is full of sadness, and grief." He shook his head. "So horrible! So horrible!"

Cheesemaster giggled and he petted Clean machine on the head. "It's alright. None of us will be leaving you anytime soon."

Clean machine smiled with him. "That's good to know."

Cheesemaster leaned back in his chair again, and Shedra Mordred was now giving everyone their breakfast.

 

Afterwards, Kat and Cheesemaster both got up, and put their coats back on. "Well, I hate to say it, but we ought to be going back home." Cheesemaser kneeled down and petted Clean Machine again. "I'll see you again."

"No! No! I want to go with you!"

He sighed, and looked down at the robot. "But you can't come with me! Arkcher only just made you. You have to spend some time with him for a while."

 

Clean Machine looked up at him, with a look of incredible sadness. "But can I visit someday?"

He nodded. "Of course you can. You can visit me after you stay with Arkcher for a while."

Clean Machine smiled. "OK. That sounds good."

Edna jumped out of his chair after putting his coat on (a gift hand-sewn by Cheesemaster back when he first adopted Edna), and ran over to the robot. He gave it a hug, and then he latched onto Cheesemaster.

"Goodbye, robot! See you later!"

 

------------------------------

 

After the guests had left, Arkcher decided to was only right to spend some time with Clean Machine, since MK was busy playing with PMM. The two of them sat down in the lab, where Clean machine lived.

 

Arkcher said nothing for a long time as they were down there; Clean machine spent a good amount of time exploring and looking at things. After a while, he went up to Arkcher, and after a long, long silence, he said, "Master, what are you thinking about?"

Arkcher gasped lightly as he snapped out of thought. "Oh. I was thinking of Mushroom, and Cheesemaster."

Clean Machine was silent, until he asked, "Master, who was that small person with him? I think his name was Edna."

"Yea, Edna. He's an orphan, from the world of drawings. Cheesemaster adopted him."

"Really? That was nice of him."

Arkcher nodded. "yea...Cheesemaster's a pretty nice guy. He forgives everyone, no matter what they do to him."

"What if someone tried to kill him?"

"Someone did try to kill him. But he didn't care, he forgave him."

Clean Machine gasped. "That is amazing! How could someone do that?"

"That's what I want to know. I don't think even my father is capable of forgiving someone who wants to murder him."

"I don't know your father very well, either, even though he helped you make me."

Arkcher said nothing, and Clean Machine looked around. "You were thinking about Mushroom, and Cheesemaster, what were you thinking about?"

Arkcher sighed. "Eh..nothing..."

"It is not nothing! You do not think about nothing. You think about things. I do not even think and I know that."

Arkcher looked at Clean Machine, and he smiled. "When you say things like that...it makes me happy. Because you turned out just as I wanted you to."

Clean machine became impatient. "Please do not change the subject."

 

Arkcher sighed. "You're actually very impatient. I never programmed you to be that way. But I digress..."

He stood up, and he sighed as he looked at the ceiling. "I was just thinking of Mushroom and Cheesemaster's relationship. I thought maybe Cheesemaster liked her, and was trying to get her to like him more than me. I'm not quite sure, though...I mean, last night, I asked him about it. He wasn't even angry I still thought about it, which surprised me...He gave me a lot of reasons why he only likes her as a friend."

"But Master! You said a wife can only belong to one person."

Arkcher looked down at Clean Machine with sad eyes.

"Well, that's true. I was right on that. But who's to say that would keep someone from liking someone's wife?" He sighed, and looked up at the ceiling again. "Eh...that's one of the Commandments, isn't it?" He said, looking at Clean machine, now seeming confused.

"I don't think I quite understood what you said, Master, but it's better then wondering what you were thinking about."

Suddenly, Arkcher smiled as though he had just gotten an idea. "Clean Machine, you wanted to stay with Cheesemaster for a while. You could stay there, and..."

"Spy for you, I presume?"

Arkcher nodded.

"But Master, he said I should stay and get to know you for a while."

"Yea, but....well, you live here. You can get to know me anytime. You don't always get the chance to go stay at one of their houses."

Clean machine just stared blankly at him. "Whatever you say, Master."

"Besides, you could wash their clothes if you wanted to."

 

Arkcher leaned down and stroked Clean Machine. "But how about this. If you think you'll miss me that much, how about I fix you so you can communicate with me via phone or email? I've most always got my phone with me and check my email every day. You can talk to me if you get homesick. And we can tell each other what's been happening."

Clean Machine smiled. "That sounds good!"

 

Arkcher nodded. "But I'll have to shut you off for a few minutes, if that's OK. That'll keep it from hurting."

Clean machine nodded as Arkcher flipped the switch. His eyes filled with sadness as he saw the lights leave Clean Machine's eyes-even though he knew it was only temporary. He picked up the robot, and set it on the workbench, and got to work putting a phone inside the robot.

 

-----------------------------

 

Back at the Port of Cheese, the weather was finally beginning to get a little warmer; Cheesemaster was now wearing his regular brown jacket with blue sweater again, though it was not quite warm enough yet to go without the sweater and jacket.

 

He and Edna were out in front of their house, doing their normal business, and were pleasantly surprised when Clean Machine rolled up to them. Cheesemaster looked down at the robot in severe confusion.

"Clean Machine? What are you doing here?!"

"Master said it was OK if I came and visited you, because I can talk to Master whenever I want. He even installed something in me that allows him to talk to me when we are far away."

Cheesemaster blinked for a moment, dumbfounded. What might Arkcher be up to?

But he had little time to think, as he felt a tap at his skull. He turned around, and he saw a face he hadn't seen in a little while: Dana, a.k.a. the Blood Queen. She looked at him, and then down at the robot.

"Umm...who is that?" She said, pointing to the robot.

"That'd be Clean Machine...Arkcher's newest invention. He's coming to stay with me for a short time."

Blood Queen laughed. "That's weird."

"Not as weird as being asked to be called Blood Queen," Giggled Cheesemaster.

She giggled sarcastically. "Blood Queen still isn't as strange of a name as Cheesemaster."

"Hey, nearly all of us have got strange names. Besides, Cheesemaster and Blood Queen combined still isn't as weird as Who are You? Who Am I?. And her name is considered pretty normal back at home for her, I hear."

 

Edna giggled as he sat on the steps where he shined shoes. "Mr. Cheesemaster, your name isn't very normal back on your home planet. I find that strange."

Clean Machine looked terribly confused.

"Well..." He was stopped when Blood Queen smacked him on the shoulder. "Hey, am I getting a paper or not?"

"Sorry, you're just not the type who typically buys the paper."

"Maybe not, but you never know, do you?" She said as she snatched one from his hands. "I'll be on my way now."

 

The girl was well out of earshot when Cheesemaster shivered and said, "She's creepy..."

"I'm horribly confused," Said Clean machine. "What are you doing out here?"

"Working," He responded. "I sell papers, and Edna shines shoes. Though...I guess you don't need those things."

Clean Machine shook his head. "When do you go back inside?"

"We always go back inside when everyone goes to work, because no one is out and about at that time. Or at least, not anyone who wants a paper and shoe shine.

Clean Machine mouth "Oh," and rolled over by the door. "Can I go inside?"

"Go ahead, we'll be in soon."

 

Clean Machine opened the door, and rolled inside. He looked around, and examined things, though he was careful not to touch anything.

He rolled into the kitchen, and spotted something on the fridge: Edna's old drawing of Cheesemaster and MK embracing!

Clean Machine gasped. This was the sort of thing Arkcher wanted him to look for...but he didn't want to report back to him. He didn't want him getting angry at Cheesemaster, because he knew they were best friends. If Arkcher knew about this picture, he'd be livid. He decided not to say anything for now.

 

Clean Machine rolled away from the fridge, and walked back into the living room. He looked around the room, and saw the various Katanas and bookshelves in the room, which made him curious; but he knew better then to touch anything. He simply stood by one of the armchairs, waiting for the other two to come back inside.

[Mushroom_king]

[this is an extension on the last chapter. I'll be starting a new chapter soon]

 

Hours passes, with Clean Machine simply looking around; after all, a robot cannot comprehend time, or comprehend any emotions that were not programmed into him. In fact, you cannot even call a robot a him, for a robot has no gender (unless you GIVE him one, but Arkcher was not exactly thinking of that when he built him.); and only the most simple of emotions (if simple emotions are even possible), such as Happiness, and Sadness. Those were two that were simple to program into a machine; but it was considered dangerous to give a machine any emotions at all, because you never know when it might revolt against you.

 

Eventually, Clean Machine snapped out of sleep mode when Edna and Cheesemaster came back in. Edna seemed very happy, and Cheesemaster plopped down on one of the armchairs and looked at Clean machine, and the robot smiled at him and greeted him.

"It's nice to see you, even though I do find it odd that Arkcher would send you to come see me."

"It's good to see you, too!" The robot announced, and looked at Edna, who was also sitting in a chair. "And good to see you, too, Edna."

Edna smiled. "Hi, robot!"

Clean machine looked at Cheesemaster. "What sorts of things do you do when you're home?"

"Eh, me and Edna usually just read, or he draws pictures sometimes...or talk....or play board games."

"That sounds fun. Do you think I can do those things?"

Cheesemaster stretched, and then he giggled. "Of course you can."

"Robot! Robot! Look, look!" Said Edna, holding up a piece of paper. "I drew you! I drew you!"

Clean machine rolled over to Edna while Cheesemaster went to get some board games to play. Edna held up a piece of paper with colorful objects on it. He looked confused.

 

"What is that?" He asked. Edna frowned. "That's you, silly! You, Clean Machine! The robot!"

Clean Machine still seemed confused. "Is this a drawing...?"

"Of course it is," Whispered Edna. "Don't you know about drawing?"

Clean Machine shook his head. "No, what is it?"

"It's when you take something you write with, and make a picture of something! I made a picture of you!"

Clean Machine examined the picture. "Can I try?"

"You sure can!" Said Edna excitedly. Clean machine smiled as he took a crayon and the paper from Edna, who flipped it over to the blank side. Clean Machine awkwardly gripped the crayon and shakily made some scribbles on it. Edna started clapping, and Cheesemaster looked over to see what happened.

 

He stood back up, with a few boxes in his hands. "What's going on over there?"

Clean Machine continued scribbling. "He's drawing somethin'!"

Cheesemaster set the games on the floor and came and looked at it. He saw a mass of gray and yellow scribbles. Clean Machine looked at it, upset.

"I wanted to draw my master," He said. Everyone was silent before the other two burst into laughter.

"It isn't very funny!" He shouted. Cheesemaster put his elbow on the robot's head and leaned on him. "It reminds me of when they give certain animals drawing supplies, they draw things around them. You'll get better if you practice."

Clean Machine made a sighing noise. He looked at his drawing, and Edna picked it up.

"The grey part is his clothes, and the yellow is his hair, right?"

Clean Machine nodded. "Yes, that's it. At least you know what's what."

Edna smiled. "Don't worry! I can teach you!"

Cheesemaster sat back down in the empty chair and picked up one of the boxes. He pulled out a small table and took a chess board out of the box.

 

Clean Machine turned around and looked at it as Cheesemaster set up the chess pieces. "Clean Machine, do you know how to play Chess?"

"I don't suppose I do."

"OK, then. Do you want to watch while I play against Edna? You can learn well just by watching."

Clean Machine rolled behind the table as Edna moved his chair up by the table.

Cheesemaster and Edna set up the board, slowly so Clean machine could absorb the visual experience of it. Cheesemaster explained it to him when he asked, and the two of them finally started to play.

 

They were all silent, deep in thought, for many hours, the silence only broken by the increasingly rare event that Clean Machine would ask for something explained to him. Clean Machine would stare in thought whenever he saw one of them take the other's piece, amazed at the amount of thought required in something that seemed so simple.

[Mushroom_king]

[in this chapter, we FINALLY get around to Arkcher's backstory.]

 

 

[i hope the German accent is OK, I'm kind of worried it sounds/reads as being Russian. I don't know any Germans in real life who have accents I can listen to, so I kinda just tried to remember from how I heard people speak when I was in Berlin.]

 

[Also, if anyone could help me with a Swedish accent, that'd be great, 'cause a Swedish guy comes in later.]

 

[speaking of Germans, I need to hurry up and make Leguan show up in this story.]

 

 

 

The game lasted for what seemed like hours, until Clean Machine noticed a worried expression on Edna's face. Clean machine looked at and examined the board; two of his pieces (he controlled the black pieces) were at his side of the board, with one of Cheesemaster's white pieces about three spaces away from them. Two spots behind that piece were two more of his pieces; and all three realized Edna was going to lose.

 

Cheesemaster looked at the board, and said, "Check, Edna."

"I knooow," He whispered back at him, biting his nails as he looked at the board. "And I can't capture your piece, either."

Edna thought for a long time, staring at the board. Every so often he would reach to move a piece, but then change his mind; eventually he grabbed one of his pieces and moved it to safety; and then a few more hours passed, or at least it seemed as such, until one of Edna's strongest pieces was surrounded by three of Cheesemaster's pieces; Edna's pieces had nowhere to go. Cheesemaster leaned back in his seat and smiled at Edna. "Checkmate, I win."

Edna stretched, and the two shook hands. "Fair game?" Asked Cheesemaster, and Edna smiled at him. "Fair game," He answered, and then he and Clean machine said in unison, "Teacher!"

Clean Machine had a big smile on his face. "My Master's dad plays this game a lot. Maybe you should play him sometime."

Cheesemaster leaned back in his chair with his arms held up behind his head, staring off into space. "Aloysius plays chess? Next time I'm at the Mansion, or next time they're here, I can play against him."

 

He then stood up and stretched. "Looks like we played longer than we planned. We'll have to go back outside soon."

Edna jumped out of his seat and began to put up the board and pieces. "My brain feels good after playing that," He said happily, and he pushed the table back behind the armchair, and helped Cheesemaster to put the games away.

"Clean Machine, if you want to learn more on how to play, I can explain it to you more when we come back inside," He said as he grabbed his satchel full of papers. The robot rolled over in front of the armchairs. "That would be nice. I will see you later."

 

------------------------------

 

Back at the mansion, somewhere around that same time, Arkcher and his father were sitting in the underground lab, and Aloysius had begun practicing a game of chess by himself around the same time Cheesemaster's had ended, while Arkcher was planning to go out to the courtyard and practicing his archery.

 

"I wonder how Clean machine is doing," He said as he was about to leave. He looked over at his father, practicing Chess all by himself.

"You know," he began to say, but his father was too deep in thought to really pay attention. Arkcher went over and lightly tapped his father's shoulder, snapping him out of his thought and causing him to look up at Arkcher.

"You know, Cheesemaster really likes to play Chess too. You ought to play it with him sometime."

Aloysius giggled. "Ah, that's good to know. I was afraid I would have no one to play with, and I would have to teach you, or your wife, or Solrai."

"But dad, I already do know how to play chess; you taught me when I was a little kid and we played it all the time. I remember you always told mom that it was good for my brain because it had strategy and math in it."

Aloysius sighed sadly. "Yes...she got angry with me because she asked me to homeschool you, and thought I was neglecting your education because we would play chess together. I tried explaining to her that it was educational..." His voice trailed off as he stared into space, and his hair fell in front of his face.

 

Arkcher caught on. Bad memories were beginning to flow back to Aloysius's mind, memories he had since repressed. Arkcher put his hand on his shoulder, and suddenly, equally bad memories began to flow back to him, as well. But not about his family; these memories were from his time in boarding school. His mother sent him there claiming his father was not a good enough teacher, but in reality she didn't want to care for him anymore.

 

Arkcher sat down across from his father, and stared at the board. "I...I remember some kids I knew at school would play chess every night," He whispered, and his mind began to flash back at that night.

"What do you mean, son?" Aloysius asked.

"You remember Thomas, and Jeff, and the others, right?"

Aloysius nodded. He knew about the other boys at the school because there had once been a "Bring your dad to school" day where Aloysius had come to the school. That event had happened not long before Arkcher came to Invision.

 

IT'S FLASHBACK TIME!!!!

 

 

 

"Lara, please, I don't think this is the right thing to do!!" Aloysius shouted at his wife, Lara, in desperation. "Sending our son away, as young as he is..."

The woman folded her arms and refused to feel sorry for him. "The education you've been giving him is not suitable for him. I think it's time he got a real education."

"If you wanted that, you should have done it a long time ago!!!" Shouted Aloysius, holding back his tears.

Lara shook her head. "He'll be starting tomorrow morning. If you want to say goodbye, you ought to do it now."

 

Aloysius sniffed and continued to try and hold back his tears as he walked through the house, to Arkcher's bedroom. He had once shared the room with the oldest Ahrroww child, Derringer, but since he had moved out Arkcher now had the room all to himself. The boy was sitting on his bed, already in his uniform, with his suitcase next to him. He looked up as Aloysius walked in, and he walked over to him, stared him in the eye, and tried to speak, but he kept choking up, and he eventually burst into tears, hugging his son as tightly as he could, as though he could never let him go.

 

"Arkcher," He whispered, "I hate that this has to happen to you. I never wanted this to happen to you at this young of an age, I never wanted to to leave and live somewhere else," He sobbed. "I wish...I wish I could have done a lot more for you, and I would have had I known this would happen..."

Arkcher buried his head in his father's chest. "I know, dad...I-I know."

 

The two were silent for a very long time, with Aloysius continuing to cry. Eventually, Arkcher looked up at his father's face, and whispered, "Please stop crying!"

Aloysius let out a muffled "Ah?" and looked at his son.

"I don't want to see you cry! You are always so happy and optimistic! I don't want to see you cry!" He said, starting to cry himself. "I don't want to leave, either!!"

 

The two of them sat there for a long time, crying and crying, until it was time to go to sleep.

 

The next morning, Lara drove Arkcher and Aloysius out near the edge of the city, where Arkcher's new home sat-a large, brick building known as Winter Log Boarding School. Aloysius took Arkcher out to the gates of the school, and gave him one last hug, as well as making sure he remembered their phone number and address so he could call or send a letter, and the boy walked through the gates of the school, trying to not look back.

 

-----------------------------

 

Arkcher got some help from some teachers to make his way towards his classroom. He felt completely out of place in the school, with his lengthy hair (which he made sure covered his ears...as they would cause too many questions being asked) and the fact he was about a head and a half taller then most boys his age.

 

Arkcher eventually found his classroom. The teacher, a tall British man who looked older than he actually was, walked Arkcher up to the front of the classroom. Arkcher looked over everyone else; of course they all wore the exact same uniforms as him, making him feel like he was exactly the same as everyone else. He was confused, however, when he saw a boy-the only one who did not have someone else sitting next to him, and he assumed that he would be sitting next to him-who wore the normal uniform, except for his jacket, which was green. Little did he know at the time that years later he would have a wife who wore a green jacket almost exactly like it. All eyes were on him, but the eyes Arkcher was most disturbed by was one red-haired boy in the front row. He had bloodred hair that reached an inch or so below his chin, and it was wavy. Arkcher wasn't sure if he made it that way or if it was naturally wavy. He had narrow, glaring eyes that were a dark blue color. His arms were folded and he leaned back in his chair.

 

"Everyone, this is our new student. His name is Arkcher Ahrroww."

There were a few whispers among the students, and the red-head in the front row began to speak.

"Ahrroww?" He said, curiously; he had a thick German accent, the thickest he had heard in his life. "The famouz inventor?"

Arkcher nodded nervously. "Uhm-Yes-That's him."

The boy flipped his hair. "I zsee," he said, and he whispered something to the boy sitting next to him, who had a broad chest and shoulders with black hair.

Arkcher became even more nervous.

The teacher, blissfully unaware of Arkcher's anxiousness, put his hand on his shoulder. "You can sit next to Jeffrey Poluts. Jeffrey, show where you sit."

The boy in the green jacket stood up, and the teacher frowned. "Jeffrey, how many times must I tell you not to wear that jacket?"

The red-haired boy glared over at the Jeffrey kid, but said nothing. Arkcher walked over and sat down next to Jeffrey. He smiled nervously at Arkcher, and reached out his hand, and started to talk. He had a British accent even thicker than the teacher's.

"H-Hi, my name's Jeff. N-Nice to meet you. I admire your father."

"Thanks," whispered Arkcher.

 

The teacher grabbed a stack of papers. "Alright, class, this is a review over the math concepts we studied last class." He looked at Arkcher. "Mr. Ahrroww, you're going to need-"

Arkcher shook his head. "I can handle this, I know it."

The teacher's expression became a mix of anger and surprise. "Did you study this at your old school?"

"What's it over?" Asked Arkcher. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the redhead German boy was still glaring at him.

"Geometry," Jeff whispered to him. Arkcher mouthed "Oh," and smiled. "Yea, I studied that."

The teacher sighed, and reluctantly gave Arkcher the stack of papers to pass back, and the quiz began. Everyone was silent.

 

A few minutes had passed, and Arkcher had already gotten halfway through the review. Before everyone knew it, he was done, and he had already gotten up and placed the paper on the teacher's desk. A few whispers were heard in the class, before the teacher shushed them. The German redhead glared at Arkcher with his firey eyes. Arkcher became afraid that the boy already hated him, even though he didn't even know his name.

 

----------------------------

 

After the mathematics class, Arkcher walked to his next class, which was Science; now he was delving into things he actually knew a lot about. He found his locker and decided to put away all his textbooks so he wouldn't be condemned to carrying them all day. He had closed the door when noticed the German redhaired kid was leaning against the locker next to his own. Arkcher jumped back a slight bit, and barely managed a "O-Oh, hi."

The redhead giggled and he looked at the ground. He wasn't much shorter then Arkcher; in fact, he was only about an inch shorter then him.

"Zat wasz egzellent today, in maths class," He said.

Arkcher gulped, not sure if he was being sarcastic or not. "Uh...thanks!" he gulped, and looked around nervously. "Uhm..."

The boy stood up straight, his arms still folded. "Ah, I vhorgot to eintroduce myzself." He fingered through his hair, and then folded his hair again. "My name iss Thomasz. Thomasz von Fostehr zhe Fourth."

"Oh, uh, that's nice."

Thomas seemed surprised. "Don't vyou know who I am?!"

Arkcher became nervous. "Am I supposed to?!"

Thomas looked offended. "Zyou do not regognize my lazst name?"

"von Foster?"

"Yesz."

"Uhm...it rings a bell..."

Thomas sighed heavily as the two of them started walking "My fathair is zthe zecond richest perzon on Eairth!"

"O-OK, then?! That's great and all, good for you."

Thomas heaved. He was obviously being irked by this.

"Oh, wait!!" Said Arkcher. Thomas's eyes went wide. "Thomas von Foster III. He owns a bunch of businesses."

Thomas laughed, without his face even moving. "Yesz, Yesz, zthat iz him. Zut zyou should owe everyving to my great-grandfathair. He vounded zthe company, vich was voriginally juzst a jewelvery company."

Thomas fingered through his hair again, and the two of them, after their long conversation, found that they had their next class together as well.

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher and Thomas walked into the room, and Thomas automatically sat in his assigned seat; the three boys he had sat with in Math sat with him again in Science. Arkcher toyed with the thought that his family had payed the school to let him have classes with them. The black-haired boy was there, too, but also with him was a boy who was a bit shorter then the other three with dirty blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, and a boy with short, brown hair who had a bright, happy face. He wondered for a few moments who they might be, and he waited for the teacher to give him a seat.

 

The teacher had no accent, which Arkcher found strange since everyone he had met in the school had spoken with one. He was directed to an empty seat in the table next to the one where Thomas and his friends sat; he was closest to the brunette boy, and he was the only one that didn't make Arkcher feel insecure. The boy smiled at him, but said nothing when the teacher called for the class's attention. Much to his relief, the teacher did not get Arkcher to introduce himself in front of the class.

 

The class went on, mostly uneventful, until the teacher announced they would be working in groups of two on a paper-and he would be picking the groups. Groans were heard from everyone in class, except Arkcher, seeing as Thomas was the only person in the classroom he knew; and he certainly didn't want to work with him, as he was still kind of wary of him.

 

The teacher went around the room and paired up the students, and Arkcher ended up working with the brown-haired boy. The two sat together, and after Arkcher wrote his name on the paper, he asked the boy his name. Like Jeff, he had a super-thick British accent.

 

"Chaahley," He said, smiling. "Chaaley Rayfehd Scowt-Leighton."

"Scott-Leighton?! You mean, Scott-Leighton as in the English publisher?!"

"The vehry same."

"Wow," He said. He began to write "Charlie" on the paper, until he stopped him.

"No, no, not Chaalie with an I-E. Chaalie with a Y. It's my actual name Chaaules with a Y instead of an S.

Arkcher rolled his eyes, though he made sure Charley didn't notice, and wrote his name on the paper. He found his accent far easier to understand then Thomas's, since his father had been British. Then again, Aloysius's accent was even half as thick as Jeff's or Charley's.

"I guess you have a lot of money, huh? I mean, your family owns a big publishing company."

Charley nodded.

"No wonder you're friends with Thomas."

Charley sighed. "I wasn't owlways friends with Thoomas. His paahrents and moy paahrents ahh wohking togethah. Same with those atha two, as well."

Arkcher assumed he was talking about the blond and the black-haired boy. "But who are they?"

Arkcher heard Thomas's voice talking to him; when he looked, he was turned around and looking at him. "You vreally don't know who vey are?"

Arkcher shook his head, and Charley whispered to him, asking if he could do some of the work on the paper.

 

Thomas turned his chair all the way around and looked at Arkcher. "The vlack-haired vone is Uomini."

The black-haired kid turned his head and looked at Thomas. "Did I hear my name?" He asked; he had the slightest hint of an Italian accent, but it wasn't very thick. It was odd hearing it after hearing Thomas and Charley's accents.

"Salvator Fernino, Uomini." Explained Thomas.

"Uomini? The Italian designer?"

Thomas nodded. "And zthe bloond vone is Edvard."

"Edward, OK."

"NO," Snapped Thomas. "Edvard, not Edvward."

Arkcher seemed confused. "That's what I said!"

"No, you said Edvward. Iss EDVARD."

"That's what I-"

Thomas heaved and took his pencil, a sheet of blank paper, and scribbled ferociously at it. On the sheet, there was some of the neatest handwriting Arkcher had seen. The sheet said, EDVARD, NOT EDWARD!

"ZERE'S NO DAAHBLE-VYOU," Thomas said through gritted teeth. Arkcher flushed in the face and said, "O-Oh, I'm sorry. It was just your-"

"Iss my accent."

That was the exact thing, but Arkcher didn't want to admit it.

"Edvaahd Olahf Kulick Jr.," Explained Charley.

"The Swedish art supplies," Said Arkcher.

No wonder Thomas was friends with these people. They all had just as much money as him.

 

"Alroight, Aahrrow, it looks loik we'h done." Said Charley happily. "That was easy, and Oi'm no good aht this soht of thing."

"If it's easy for you, it's definitely easy for me."

Charley giggled. "Of cose. Your dad is tha inventah."

"He's a doctor, too." Said Arkcher. "You remind me of him, because he's English as well."

Charley seemed confused. "That's neat."

 

------------------------------

 

The rest of the day went by uneventfully, until the end of the day, when Arkcher was to experience his first night staying the night at school. After asking for help from a teacher, he was directed to the school's second building, where the dorms were located. Arkcher was taken to a dorm. The dorm was comfy, but still small; there was a fireplace, which was lit, and the room had a nice dark-red and brown color scheme. There was one door, which he assumed led to a bathroom. There were three beds, one of which was unoccupied; on one, he saw Jeffrey Poluts!

 

"Oh, Hey, Ahrroww!" He said, standing up. "It's about toime they gave me a roommate."

The teacher helped Arkcher feel comfortable, and gave him a rundown of the dorm rules:

 

"Lights go out at Nine. Until then, you can stay up in your dorm, but you need a pass if you want to visit another dorm. Anyone caught out of their dorms after Lights out will be severely punished."

Arkcher nodded to show his understanding. It was only about two hours until Lights Out, giving him time to converse with Jeff.

The teacher nodded, and then left Arkcher. He went to go put his suitcase by his bed, and said hello to Jeff, who suddenly got up and walked towards the door.

 

"Where are you going?" He asked, and Jeff looked back at him. "I always go to Thoomas's dorm every noight."

"Well, uh...can I come with you?"

"You shuh can, but you need a paahs."

"I don't know how to get one..."

"You chaan booroow wan of moine, then,"

"You can do that?" He asked, curiously.

Jeff nodded, and Arkcher got up and followed him out of their dorm. They walked down the corridors of the school, until Jeff stopped in front of a dorm door. He knocked on the door, and was greeted by Thomas's firey, glaring eyes. He smirked at the two of them and invited them inside.

 

Thomas's dorm was more spacious and nicer than Jeff's; again, Arkcher toyed with the thought that Thomas's family had payed for a bigger dorm. Sitting on a deep-red couch were Salvator, Charley, and Edvard.

"Ve've been vaiting for vyou, Poluts. Aahrrow."

 

The boys walked over to the couch. Thomas sat with his friend, while Charley pulled over two chairs for Jeff and Arkcher.

Jeff sat down across from Thomas, and Thomas got a small table and put it in between them, and then pulled out a box. He opened up the box and inside was what looked like a checkerboard, but in fact was a chess board; he then pulled out the various chess pieces. He handed the black pieces to Jeff, who timidly took them, and they began to set up the board. Arkcher sat near Charley, since, again, he was the only one Arkcher was comfortable around. When he did, Charley leaned down and began to whisper something to him.

 

"It seems friendly, but trust me when Oy say that it really isn't. Jeff oonly plaoys so Thoomas won't haraass him. And the loser has to pay the winner."

Arkcher nodded. Charley continued.

"It's ahhctully not such a good oydea. Jeff's family isn't exaactly well-off, you know."

Edvard glared at Charley with narrow, angry eyes. He didn't have the heaviest of Swedish accents, but it still showed you he was Swedish. "Shut up, yaah limey!"

Charley looked offended. "Hey, don't coll me thaat!" He said, offended. Thomas turned and shushed both of them, and then went back to the game.

 

An hour had passed, and Thomas had already won; Jeff, who looked extremely depressed, sighed as he took out a ten-dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to a smug Thomas. This enraged Arkcher.

"Thomas!!" He shouted, and he looked at him. "Zes, vat is it Ahhroww?"

"That isn't fair! Jeff is poor, while you have all the money in the world! It isn't fair you take money from him!"

"I vun fair and square Ahrroww."

"Fine then. I'll play you!"

Thomas giggled. "Suit vourself."

Charley looked concerned. "But it's only an hour until lights out...."

"Don't vorry. This'll be done quick and painlessly."

Arkcher sat down and began to play a new game of chess versus Thomas. The other boys all knew for a fact that Thomas would win-he'd never lost a chess game, ever. He had a perfect record, and had even entered Chess competitions back home in Germany. Even there, where he played against grown adults, he was a champion who had never lost. So it was impossible for the new boy to beat him.

 

Half an hour had passed. Jeff kept urging Arkcher to get on back to their dorm, but he would shush him each time. He stared at the board, and Thomas gasped.

 

Arkcher looked at the board, and quietly said, "Checkmate, Thomas."

The other boys whispered among themselves. Thomas von Foster IV, a top champion of chess back home in Germany, who had never lost a single game, had just lost to a boy he barely knew. And a Canadian, no less.

Thomas clutched the sleeve of his jacket, and shut his eyes as he growled quietly. His friends whispered such things as "You two ought to get out of here," "Thomas, calm down, it's just one loss!" and "Oh no, oh no, oh no..."

Thomas slowly stood up, grabbed the edge of the board, and flipped it up, causing the pieces to tumble onto Arkcher, who shielded himself as Thomas stood above him menacingly.

Arkcher heard Thomas yelling at him-most of what he said was in German, making him assume he was more than likely swearing at him, but he couldn't make any of it out as Jeff quickly grabbed his arm and ran out of the dorm and ran as quickly as they could back to their own.

 

When they got back, Jeff threw himself down on his bed, breathing heavily. He looked over at Arkcher, who was taking off his jacket and necktie. In between breaths, he muttered, "Please don't EVAHr do thaaht agane," He said, and he struggled to take off his jacket and tie as well.

"I just didn't find it right that a guy who's dad is the second-richest man on Earth is taking money away from a poor kid."

Jeff stopped. "Who told you I was poor?"

"Charley did."

Jeff smiled weakly. "Oh, Chaaley. He's a nice kid...I guess he's nice to me because Oi'm British loik him. But it may also avve to do with the fahct that 'is family wasn't owlwoys wealthy...he troiys to give me money, but Thoomas owlwoys keeps him from doing so."

 

Jeff laid his jacket, belt, and tie on one of the chairs. He sat on his bed and unlaced his shoes. "My pahents saved up oll of theya money to send me hea to Canada and get me a good education, which they never had," Explained Jeff. He placed his shoes next to the bed and laid down on it, too tired to go under the covers.

"Goodnight, Jeff," Said Arkcher as he turned out the light.

Jeff muttered something, but Arkcher didn't hear him as he drifted to sleep.

[Mushroom_king]

Three years after Arkcher's first day at Boarding School, Winter Log got another new student.

 

It was lunchtime; Arkcher was sitting with Jeff, and Thomas von Foster IV, who still had the tiniest of grudges against Arkcher for beating him three years earlier, sat with his three friends Salavator, Edvard, and Charley. The four wealthy boys were chatting about rumors of a new student, but they hadn't caught any glimpses of him yet.

Thomas scoffed. "I heard he's an American."

Salvator and Edvard laughed, and Charley sighed. "They're not all bad, you know. There's some equally bad Brits, Germans, Italians, and Swedes too."

 

Just then, there was a loud CRASH, and everyone stopped eating and looked for the source of the noise.

 

"Oi'm tellin' ya, don't cha mess with me!!" Shouted a voice that was unusually high for a boy who would be attending the school; Arkcher and Jeff stopped eating and looked at the boy. He was tall, had choppy blond hair, and wore glasses. He was standing over another boy who they didn't know but had seen before. "Ya don't mess with me, and you ain't gonna get hoiyt!"

 

Charley was dumfounded. "Oh my God. That's the new kid. And he's..."

"Heez from Brooklyn," said Thomas.

The other boy (who had apparently been bothering the new boy) got up and shoved him, and said something, though they couldn't here him. The new boy then jumped onto the offending student and started to punch him and kick him.

 

"Woo, entertainment!!" Said Edvard happily, until a teacher ran over and grabbed the new boy. Thomas scoffed. "First day and alvredy a problem."

The boys sighed, and Charley was still shocked.

 

-----------------------------

 

The boys got their first glimpse of the new student in their History class. Jeff and Arkcher sat together in that class as well (and had become best friends ever since the first day of school.) The boy stood at the front of the classroom; he gave a powerful aura, and many of the students seemed afraid of him.

 

"Students," Said the teacher, "This is our newest student. His name is Paul Anstar."

The class was silent. One student asked, "I don't recognize his last name."

Arkcher was genuinely shocked by the statement; was the majority of the students in school really the sons of famous people? Not just rich people, but maybe just famous people? It disturbed him.

 

"Of couse you don't recognize moy last nay-um," He said, gritting his teeth. "Moy dad ain't famous, ya know."

The teacher pointed to a seat beside Arkcher and Jeff. Paul walked over and sat down, placing his bookbag by his feet. The teacher grabbed some papers off his desk, and went around passing them around. When he got around to Paul, he stared at him for a long time.

 

"You know, Paul," Said the Teacher, "You don't have the manliest of figures, do you?"

Paul was taken aback. If it wasn't a teacher, he would have had him on the ground in seconds. "Yea, I make up for it by bein' tough."

The teacher giggled. "It's nothing. It's a fine quality."

The teacher walked away, and Paul glared at him. "Not if it gets ya beat up," He muttered, as he began to work.

 

Later that day, Arkcher learned that Paul was now going to be sharing a dorm with him and Jeff; Paul was not pleased with this, preferring to have a room to himself. But complaining didn't help him; it only got him a warning from the teacher. He heaved as he set his bag on his bed, muttering to himself. Jeff and Arkcher both sat on their beds; they had been chatting before Paul arrived, but were now silent, looking at him unpack. turned around, and looked at them angrily. "Whaddaya lookin' at?"

Jeff's eyes went wide. "Oh, noothing."

Paul moaned. "Oh geez, not a Brit." He looked at Arkcher as he sat on his bed. "Whadda bout you, girly boy?"

"What do you mean, girly boy?!"

"Nice hair, Archer."

"ArKcher, actually."

"Nice name," He said Sarcastically. "Whaat, did your parents predict ya'd be a fantasteik archer?"

Arkcher gritted his teeth. "No, my father was into archery at the time."

Paul rolled his eyes. "Whaaat'd he name your siblings, huh?"

"Derringer, Sharona, and Mint."

"Mint?" He said, laughing. "The #### kinda name is THAT?!"

"My mom named her."

"Ha!" He shouted, leaning his head back, and fell down onto his bed. "Your parents come up with some weihd names. Arkchuh, Mint?!"

"At least theh' not real common names, like ahs ah." Said Jeff, a little sadly.

 

Jeff started to take off his coat, belt, and tie, so he could get to bed, and the two other boys followed suite, with Paul being the last to sleep. He claimed he didn't feel comfortable sleeping in a room with other people.

 

-------------------------------

 

The next few days passed uneventfully. Arkcher very rarely conversed with Thomas von Foster-every once in a great while he would stop by his locker and they'd chat. Even after three years he was still uncomfortable around him.

 

One day, and lunch, Jeff and Arkcher were talking when they found out Paul was causing trouble again. He was much closer this time, just a few table away; he was seated at a table just behind the one Thomas was sitting at. He hadn't started a fight, and he hadn't drawn much attention to himself, but he was yelling at another student at the table he was at. Thomas turned his head when he first heard Paul.

 

"...Ya know, you ain't gonna talk to me like that and NO ONE talk to me like that unless they wanna have some broken bones!! So you oughta be..."

Paul said some more threats to whoever it was that had offended him, with Thomas listening intently. After Paul was done and had stopped yelling, Thomas leaned back in his chair, and said, loudly, "Settle down, yankee!"

Paul snapped his head around, and glared at Thomas. "What was that?!"

"I zed," Said Thomas, turning around and smirking at Paul, "Settle down, yankee! Or better vyet, go back to Vrooklyn!"

A few seconds later, the entire school's eyes were on Paul, who had grabbed Thomas's collar and was on the floor, punching and kicking him.

 

Paul Anstar, a kid from America whose parents were completely normal people, who was disliked by most of the school not only for his nationality but also for the fact he was a troublemaker, was now beating up the most popular, and richest, kid in the school.

 

A teacher ran over and, once again, grabbed Paul off of Thomas, who stood up and brushed his clothes. His friends came over to see if he was alright, and the teacher heavily questioned Paul and Thomas both. Both of them were sent to detention.

 

----------------------------------

 

And now for a flashback that the character having the flashback did not actually experience!

 

Paul Anstar and Thomas von Foster IV sat in the detention room, occasionally giving the other a threatening glare. A teacher watched them, to make sure they didn't talk or try to fight again. But after what seemed like hours, the teacher got up and left with no warning, and Thomas finally spoke.

 

"Vyou fight like a vwoman."

Paul glared at him. "At least Oi can foight," He said. "Unlike you."

Thomas glared back at him. "I've never had to vight," he said.

"Yea, 'cause you're a sissy rich kid!"

Thomas said nothing, but continued to stare at Paul. "No vonder vyou fight like a voman," he said. "You have a vody like a vwoman."

Paul's eyes narrowed. "Shut up," He muttered. Thomas got up and walked over to Paul, who stood up, thinking he was asking for a fight. Thomas stared at Paul for a long time, and walked behind him, making Paul wonder what in the world he was up too. Thomas giggled.

"What's up with ya?" Paul asked, wary of Thomas.

"I'm sorry for vat I did earlier, Paul," Said Thomas. "Or should I say, Paul-A?"

Paul gasped.

Thomas smacked Paul on the back; whatever he had used to hide his femininity, was now broken by Thomas and now her chest was in plain view.

"N-no," Said Paul, covering his chest. "My disguise..."

Thomas stared at Paul(a)'s chest, and then walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Oh Vy, vyou wouldn't so much mind iv I camped zthe night zthere, now vuld vyou?"

Paul shoved him away, and turned and glared at him, before dashing for the bathroom to fix his disguise. Just then, the teacher walked back in, asking where Paul was; Thomas explained where he was, and a few minutes later, Paul(a) came out, her disguise fixed.

 

---------------------------------

 

"Don't act so full of yoself, von Fostah," Said Paul(a) as they walked out of detention, "For finding out. 'Cause Awkcha foun out before ya."

Thomas gasped, and clenched his fists.

How can that boy be so much smarter then me? He thought as the two went back to their dorm rooms for the night.

 

 

----------------------------------

 

Arkcher suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Why was that girl pretending to be a boy, anyway?" Asked Aloysius.

Arkcher got up, and headed outside. "She didn't like going to the girl's boarding school," He explained before heading outside.

 

----------------------------------

 

Back at The Port of Cheese, Edna and Cheesemaster were working when Dawn came by and gave them an invitation to The Rabbitt Manor later on in the day for tea and a surprise as well, with Clean Machine permitted to come as well. Of course, the three were very excited about this, and Edna especially wondered what the surprise was.

 

He sat on the stoop where he shined shoes, and looked over at Cheesemaster. "Mr. Cheesemaster, what do you think Ms. Rabbitt's surprise is?"

"Oh, I don't know," He said, staring off into space. "I can never know, really."

Edna giggled. "Whatever it is, I'll bet it's really fun!" He said, his eyes wide and sparkling.

[Mushroom_king]

After Cheesemaster had sold all his papers, he and Edna went back inside to get ready for Dawn's party. Edna put on some long pants, since it was supposed to be chilly at night but not freezing, and a corduroy jacket that was a hand-me-down from Cheesemaster, and was too big for him but it looked nice anyway. Cheesemaster put on his sweater and long black coat, even though Edna thought it was too warm out. While they waited for the party, the two of them talked with Clean Machine.

 

"Those are nice pictures on the fridge in the next room," Exclaimed the robot. "Did Edna draw them?"

Edna nodded. "I did! I drew all those!"

Clean Machine smiled. "They're very nice."

"My favorite is the one of Mr. Cheesemaster with Mrs. Mushroom," He said, causing Cheesemaster to gasp.

"Ugh, Edna...you ought to put a disclaimer on that one or something..."

Edna giggled, and then he winked at him. "Remember, Mr. Cheesemaster. I come from the drawing world, and since that picture is a drawing, that means that back in my world it's real!!" And he started laughing while Cheesemaster became awfully nervous.

"Thanks for reminding me, Edna," He said sarcastically.

 

The sun was setting as the three of them left the house. It wasn't cold quite yet, but the wind was heavy, making it feel cold. Cheesemaster had to hold Edna's hand to make sure he didn't blow away (Despite having adopted him, Edna was still thin as a twig), though Clean machine had no problems, oddly enough.

 

They were about to knock on the door of the Rabbitt Manor when someone said "No, don't!"

They turned, and saw it was Dawn, holding a black, lacy umbrella to protect her from the sun. "Come this way. We'll be outside today."

She looked at Clean Machine. "Oh, did you build that?"

Cheesemaster looked at the robot. "Him? Oh, no. Arkcher built him recently, but I'm taking care of him for a little while."

Dawn nodded. She turned around and motioned for the boys to follow her.

 

They followed Dawn behind the Mansion, until they reached a tall, iron gate. Dawn took out a key that looked like a Rabbit's head, and opened the gate. They walked in, and found themselves in the courtyard of the Rabbitt Manor, which the boys never knew existed.

The courtyard was one of the prettiest things they had seen; there were flowers everywhere, and it was surprising that such a sad, grey mansion had such a pretty flower garden. There was a medium-sized table with several chairs around it, with some cups on it and a vase full of flowers.

"Did anyone else come to your party?" Asked Edna, looking in awe at the garden.

"Yes, but they already went into the maze."

"Maze?" Asked Cheesemaster, curiously.

"I planned for everyone to go into it after we had tea, but it's not ready left, so you can go play in the maze until it's done."

Edna ran over to a bed of flowers and kneeled down, looking at the flowers, and was careful to not step on them. Cheesemaster walked towards two giant hedges, with a space in between them; this was the entrance to the maze.

"Dawn, did you do this all by yourself?"

She shook her head. "No, no. Our gardeners did it for us, because I can't garden at all."

"Mr. Cheesemaster is a good gardener!" Said Edna, running over by his side. "Aren't you?"

"I guess I'm OK at it," He said.

"Can I stay behind?" Asked Clean Machine. "I want to keep her company."

Cheesemaster nodded, and he and Edna entered the maze.

 

After a while, Edna looked up at Cheesemaster, looking worried.

"You don't think we'll get lost, do you?" He asked.

Cheesemaster thought for a while. "No, I don't think so. And if we do, we should be able to find our way out, and in a last resort, we could climb on top of the hedges and find our way out that way!"

Edna laughed nervously. Suddenly, the wind blew very hard, causing Edna to be picked up and rammed into Cheesemaster, knocking his glasses off. They fell to the ground, and he could hear them scraping across the ground, making him worried.

When the wind died down, Cheesemaster became afraid. "My glasses, my glasses, where are my glasses..." He muttered, falling on the ground and feeling around for them. After feeling around for a few minutes, his hand fell on something.

 

"I think these are yours," Said a familiar voice, and handed him his glasses. He put them back on, and was about to thank whoever had helped them, but he gasped when he saw it was MK.

"U-Uh, Thank you, Mushroom," He stuttered, nervously standing up, and she followed suite. Edna giggled.

"W-what're you doing here?" He asked, still stammering.

"Dawn invited me, of course. Arkcher said he was too busy to come along."

Cheesemaster smiled shyly, and the two continued walking in the maze.

 

They continued walking in the maze, with Cheesemaster constantly trying to start up conversations but then ending them because he felt it was not interesting enough to talk about. After about an hour, though, MK said something:

"This is kinda like that movie Labyrinth, but with less David Bowie."

They said nothing after that, until a large wind started blowing again; he grabbed Edna and MK both, throwing her onto his body. They all fell after the wind died down, with him still latched onto MK. He helped her back up, and they kept walking, and he decided to carry Edna to keep him from being blown away. MK, too, stayed close to him, just to be safe.

 

After a while, the three of them thought they heard voices, and decided it was best to follow them, since it might help them find a way out.

 

Upon finding the voices, they found Dawn and some of the other guests sitting in the center of a giant chess board made from hedges cut into chess pieces. In the center there was a table, which was where some of them were sitting, but most of them were looking at the hedges. Cheesemaster pulled out a seat for MK and then Edna, and the three of them sat down.

 

"I see you found your way here," Said Dawn, happily. "What happened? You look like you were caught in a storm."

"I'm not sure how, but the wind was really strong and nearly blew Edna away," Said Cheesemaster. "Not sure how it got through the hedges, though. Probably came downwards..."

"Well, the tea will be ready in a few minutes. You can walk around some more if you like, but don't get lost..."

MK got up. "I'm going to go explore," She said, and she got up and took off into the maze. Cheesemaster looked at her, and hoped she'd be OK on her own.

 

Edna got down from his chair and looked at the trimmed hedges shaped like chess pieces. He turned back to Dawn and asked, "Why did you choose to have them shaped like that?"

Dawn looked at the hedges. "For James. He likes Chess."

Cheesemaster gasped. "Really? I like to play Chess, too."

"Me too!" Said Edna.

"Aloysius does too! We could all have Chess games against each other sometime."

"It's too bad James is away. He got called because he had to work on a case back home."

"Well, when he gets back, tell me so I can play against him."

 

A few hours passed, and MK still had not come back. The tea was finished, and the guests all drank it and ate snacks too; midway through the party, Cheesemaster became severely worried about MK.

 

"I hope she didn't get lost," He muttered, worried. He got up out of his seat, proclaimed he was going to look for her, and took off into the maze.

 

-------------------------------

 

"Mushroom! Mushroom!!" He called, getting more worried by the minute. He ran about the maze, calling her name, and became worried that he, too, would become lost.

"Mushroom!!! <i>Mushroom!!!</i>"

Suddenly, he heard a faint "Who's there?", and gasped.

"Mushroom?!"

"Cheesemaster?"

"Mushroom?!" He called, following the voice.

He walked around the maze, calling her name and the voice calling his, following it as the voice became louder. He eventually, and quite literally, ran into her.

"Mushroom!!" he said, relieved, as he hugged her. "I was really worried."

"Come here, I found the most amazing thing."

Cheesemaster was curious, and she grabbed his hand and took him along to whatever it was she had found.

 

The two of them walked through the maze, with MK dragging Cheesemaster along by his hand, until they found a small, isolated area that left Cheesemaster greatly surprised.

 

Sitting under a tree and surrounded by strawberry plants, was a small table with two chairs. MK let go of his hand and sat down in one of them, and he slowly walked over and sat across from her. He reached down and gently took one of the strawberries, and handed it to her.

She gladly took it from him and ate it, and she looked around. "I wonder why this is here?"

"I don't know," He said, staring at her, and then at the table, "But it looks like someone deliberately set it up. Look, there's some cups of tea." He grabbed a cup and sipped it, and then he smiled. "It's strawberry flavored!"

She giggled and took her own cup of tea, and began to drink it. "The adults in Dawn's family are all away on business, except Julia; and from what I hear, she almost never goes outside."

"She doesn't? That's sad..." He said, disappointed. "Everyone should go outside and look at the plants and animals, and even rocks are cool. I taught Edna that," He said, remembering something.

 

<i>"Edna, Edna, come look!" Cheesemaster yelled as he ran into the house and into the Kitchen. He set a grey rock on the table and grabbed a knife from the holder.

Edna came in and sat at the kitchen table, looking at the rock as Cheesemaster sat down. "What is it?"

"It's Shale," He explained.

"It's a rock," Said Edna, sounding bored. "What's so great about a rock?"

"Rocks are interesting! Geologists study rocks! They're so very interesting!"

He took the knife and brought it down onto the stone, and cut it clean in half. Edna gasped.

"You can't cut rocks!"

"You can cut some rocks," He explained to Edna. "This particular rock's particles are so small you can't see them without a microscope."</i>

 

"Yea, I agree with you." Said MK. "Even better is looking at natural things while listening to songs about them!"

Cheesemaster giggled. "I guess. That's something I'd expect you to say."

"You know me too well," She said, smiling.

The two of them said nothing for a long time, just looking at each other. Cheesemaster eventually broke the silence.

"Everyone became worried about you," He explained, "Me most of all. We thought you got lost."

She blushed and smiled shyly. "I...I was about to go back and ask why this was here, but I did get lost. I guess you were looking for me?"

"Yea, I was..."

"I guess everyone thinks you got lost too, now, huh?"

He gasped. "O-Of course, I forgot!!" He stuttered. "I got so caught up talking with you. I wonder what they're doing now?"

 

-------------------------------

 

The rest of the guests were still over in the center of the maze, now worrying about Cheesemaster along with MK. Most of the guests had already left by now, so it was mainly just Dawn, Edna, and Clean Machine sitting at the table.

"I hope he didn't get lost, too...." Said Dawn.

"We can go look for them," Suggested Edna, looking at Clean Machine. "He's a robot, he shouldn't get lost."

Dawn smiled. "OK. Be careful, don't get lost."

"We won't," Said Edna as the two of them ran off. Before they left, Edna looked back and asked, "You're not going to be lonely, right?"

Dawn shook her head. "I'll be fine. Don't you worry."

Edna nodded his head and took off with Clean Machine to look for them.

 

-----------------------------

 

"...Mushroom, how did you manage to come here by yourself, without Arkcher? He'd be wary of you coming to the Port of Cheese on your own, considering how he's been acting lately..."

"I don't know. I guess maybe he's becoming more trustworthy of me."

"I guess he trusts you to stay faithful to him."

She nodded, and she looked at the ground. "That's a good thing, I guess."

"Yea," He said, agreeing.

 

At that moment, Edna and Clean Machine heard their voices, though they couldn't make out what they were saying.

"I think that's them," Whispered Edna, and the two of them moved in the direction of the voices.

 

"At the party he had when he finished Clean Machine, a few days before, I had told him all the reasons I had for <i>not</i> having a crush on you. They were the same reasons I told Edna."

MK frowned in confusion. "What are those reasons?" She asked, curious.

Cheesemaster scratched his head nervously. "Eh..."

"If it's too awkward to talk about that's fine, but I'm still curious..."

"Eh, fine, I can tell you I guess."

 

Edna and Clean Machine had gotten a little closer to the voices, but could still not understand them; that, and they were now having difficulties getting closer to them.

 

Cheesemaster explained all his reasons for his <i>not</i> having a romantic interest in MK, the exact ones he had told Edna not long ago, at Planet Horatio. After he was done explaining them to her, she nodded in understanding.

"I see. Those are all legit reasons," She said. She smiled at him and blushed. "It's nice that you care about our friendship like that."

 

Edna and Clean Machine had now gotten a bit closer to them; they could now tell that they were MK and Cheesemaster's voices, and wondered what in the world they could be talking about. They moved in closer, and hid behind a hedge so they could eavesdrop.

 

"But hey, what if me and Arkcher weren't married? And you and I weren't friends? What about that?"

Cheesemaster blushed. "Are you really asking me that?"

She nodded.

He blushed even more. "Eh...maybe in an alternate universe, that's what's happening...Ah, it would depend on the factors. I mean...uh..."

MK looked concerned. "Is this too awkward?"

"Kinda," He said, laughing nervously. "But I guess it's alright of you to be curious."

She nodded. "So, uhm, your answer?"

His head perked up. "I don't know. That's all I can really say."

MK nodded in understanding. She got up, and was followed by Cheesemaster, who picked another strawberry and gave it to her.

 

The two of them stood in the garden, when MK suddenly have him a hug. Cheesemaster lightly gasped, but sighed happily and gave her a hug too.

 

Edna gasped, lightly as not to disturb them. Then he giggled to himself. "That's cute," He whispered to Clean Machine.

 

Cheesemaster and MK looked at each other for a long time, when the wind suddenly picked up; MK shivered at the cold, and Cheesemaster unbuttoned his long coat and put part of it over her. She let out a muffled "Thank you," and the two of them hugged under the coat.

 

Edna gasped again; the coat was obscuring most of his view, and thus he wasn't quite sure what was happening. After he gasped, Cheesemaster jerked his head up and looked around. "Who's there?"

[Mushroom_king]

MK let go of Cheesemaster and the two looked around, and they both heard Edna and Clean Machine shuffling back to the center of the maze. Cheesemaster gasped and let go of MK, and he looked around. "Someone was here..." He muttered, and he decided that it was best if they headed back, since it was nearing Edna's bedtime.

 

After spending some time wandering through the maze, Cheesemaster noticed that MK was beginning to get sleepy; she had latched onto his arm and had her head on his shoulder as she tried to not fall asleep. Eventually, he ended up having to carry her; and after walking for a few minutes, he found the center of the maze. Dawn was still there, waiting for them, as well as Edna and Clean Machine. Edna giggled when he saw Cheesemaster carrying MK.

 

"Hi, Mr. Cheesemaster. Why are you carrying Mrs. Mushroom?"

"She was falling asleep, and thus I decided it was best to carry her."

Edna smiled and nodded. "She's far too tired to go back home yet. She's gonna have to come back to our house."

"I know," He said, walking over to Edna and Clean Machine, and saying goodbye to Dawn. Dawn got an evil smile. "I'll still be up for a few hours...But I'll see you tomorrow." She looked at MK with vicious eyes. Edna frowned.

"Ms. Dawn, what's that dangerous look I see in your eyes?"

"It's nothing," She said, and she unfolded her parasol and placed it on the table, and took off to who knows where.

 

-------------------------------

 

After the two boys and the robot arrived back at the house, there was the issue of where MK would sleep; this problem was already decided by Cheesemaster, but Edna disagreed.

"Mushroom will sleep in my bed," He proclaimed.

Edna's eyes went wide. "Then where will you sleep?!"

"I'll sleep on the couch."

Edna sighed. "Knowing you, I can't change your mind. But why would you give up your bed for her?"

Cheesemaster laughed. "Well, Edna, a good gentleman always puts a woman's needs before his own. She deserves a comfy bed much more then I do. Not only because she's a girl, but she's younger then me, too."

Edna smiled. "I thought you'd say something like that."

"Alright, then. You'd better get to bed as well. It's awful late and you don't want to be tired."

Edna nodded in understanding as Cheesemaster went to put MK in bed.

 

--------------------------------

 

K woke up the next morning in a comfortable bed; she blinked her eyes opened, stretched, and looked around. She did not know where she was, and she climbed out of bed, searched around for her shoes, and began to walk about this mysterious place. She walked around, until she found herself in what seemed to be a dining room, where she found Edna and Cheesemaster. Edna was sitting at a small table, and next to the table was a group of cabinets, a stove, fridge, and some counters; Cheesemaster was busy making some Breakfast. He turned around and smiled at her. "It's nice of you too finally have joined us," He said, and she went and sat down at the table.

 

"I haven't seen any part of your house outside of your living room," She explained. "But why am I here?"

"You fell asleep last night in the maze, so I decided to carry you home." He explained, turning around to look at her. "Since you weren't exactly ready to go home at that point..."

"Eh, thanks," She said, and she looked at Edna, saying hello to him. She glanced over at his fridge. "Did you draw all those?"

"I did!" Said Edna, smiling. "I drew all of them! Do you like them!"

She got up and walked over to them. Instantly her eye fell on the one of her and Cheesemaster. She gently took it off, and looked at it.

"You're a funny little kid. You know that?"

Edna laughed and Cheesemaster went over and laid out a large breakfast in front of him and Edna made up of Waffles, Eggs, and Bacon. The two of them were also given a glass of milk (MK getting chocolate because she severely disliked the taste of normal milk). Cheesemaster sat down with his own breakfast, which was slightly smaller then MK's, which was still smaller then Edna's. Clean Machine rolled in and sat with the trio, but of course did not eat anything.

 

After Breakfast, the two decided it was best to bid MK farewell and send her on a plane back to Mt. Jazzeh; but MK did not want to go back home just yet, and said that she wanted to stay with them for a little while longer. It was then that a familiar-looking woman walked up to them when they were outside. She wore a long, light brown trench coat, plaid skirt, beige stockings, and high heeled shoes. She wore a hunter cap that matched her skirt, and sunglasses. Cheesemaster looked curiously at her.

 

"You wouldn't be The Spy, would you?" He appeared nervous. "I know you're an officer-"

"Not anymore," She said. "I switched occupations, again."

Edna looked confused, and The Spy kneeled down and looked at him. "Hello there. And who are you?"

"I was about to ask you that," He said, and she looked at Clean Machine as well, with just as much confusion, but said nothing. She smiled and shook Edna's hand.

"Most people call me The Spy. But it's Just a Name," She said, and paused after shaking hands with him.

"You work with your hands a lot, don't you?" She asked. "You're a shoe-shine boy, and a chimney sweep."

Edna gasped. "How in the world did you know that?!"

Cheesemaster sighed. "She could tell by the way your hands might be bruised, stained, or calloused from working, of course. She does that to most everyone she meets for the first time."

"So you're a spy?" Asked Edna, smiling. She shook her head. "It's just a name. I'm actually a detective. I typically live in Hamsterdam, but I recently took up residence here, because....Uh, I don't exactly have a reason."

"Enough of that," Asked MK, "What exactly do you want from us?"

"I was a little reluctant to take up this case because I'm not one to dabble in the paranormal. I leave it with the people who want to work with it. But I got so many requests for this that I had to come here and figure out some hint of what's happening."

 

Cheesemaster thought for a few moments, and then opened his eyes. "What's been going on, then, that brought you here?"

"As odd as it may sound, I've had a couple people say there may be a vampire in our midst," She said. The moment she said it, MK became defensive and blurted out "Dawn?! Dawn?!"

The Spy looked at her, confused. "Dawn? Dawn Rabbitt? She's a...?"

MK placed her hand over her mouth, realizing she'd just blurted Dawn's secret to a stranger. "She's not a threat. She feeds off animals. Wild animals, not people's pets. She's completely innocent."

"That's quite alright then. Because I haven't gotten reports of missing animals. I've gotten reports of missing people," She said. MK looked at Cheesemaster, and Clean Machine looked at everyone. Edna looked afraid.

"I-I don't want to be involved in this," Said Clean Machine, worried. "I want to go back home."

Cheesemaster sighed, and put his hand on the robot. "Are you sure you wanna go home?"

Clean Machine nodded. "I don't want to be involved in anything like this. I'd like to go home..."

Cheesemaster sighed. "Well, I guess Mushroom will have to go home as well...."

 

APRUPT ENDING GO

 

[next one is The Spy's story. Because when you read Sherlock Holmes and Dracula at the same time, it gives you ideas and stuff.]

[Mushroom_king]

This chapter begins the way most great chapters do: with a flashback!

 

About a month ago, The Spy, a young woman who had once been a police officer but was now a full-fledged detective, was at home in the city of Hamsterdam. She lived in the center of town, on a street called Baker, and would take on cases brought to her by residents of the city. They almost always came from people who she didn't really know (I'm basically saying, people who aren't mentioned in this story.), though in rare cases she would have a friend come to her, though they usually came for mere robberies. Except for Kat Dacatis, who typically came for mediocre things, such as looking for an object.

 

In recent weeks, though, she got reports from strangers, as well as the police force, about missing persons; or, she would get a report about a person who may or may not been recently noted as missing having been found somewhere outside of town, their blood completely missing from their bodies. The Spy knew right away that the monster known as a Vampire was responsible for this. But she had had no idea that a vampire was in the midst of the Invisionists. Although she was not usually the type who meddled in the affairs of the supernatural, she went ahead and did as much research as she could...

 

The Spy had finally arrived home at her house, with a stack of books in her arms. She was barely able to shut the door, much less get inside, without dropping all of them. She carefully placed them on her coffee table, and sat in her armchair after placing a log in her fireplace. The rain was pouring down on the streets, and she was already worried about the state of the books; after all, she had loaned them from the library, and she could not afford for them to be ruined. She grabbed the first; a thick, black-leather covered book on Vampires. A subject she thought she'd never read about outside of Novels.

 

--------------------------------

 

Several hours passed, with The Spy reading each book one after the other, interrupted only by people knocking on her door to give her the hundredth report of a missing person or person drained of their fluids. She would shout through the door that she already knew, without lifting her eyes from the books.

 

After reading so much that the information became repetitive, she took out a pad and paper and quickly began to scribble down what she had learned:

 

-There are two types of vampires: The kind that have 'always' been vampires, and those who were bitten, but did not have all their blood drained and became a vampire.

-A vampire who was bitten can go into the sun for the spans of two hours unprotected before they get sick and die.

-Vampires who have always been will die instantly if they step in the sun with no protection.

-Vampires cannot see themselves in mirrors. A vampire who was bitten will not show up in a mirror, but may show up in photographs.

-A vampire who has always been cannot cross water, much less go into it. Bitten vampires can cross water, but cannot go into it.

-Vampires who have always been were turned into vampires after they died. Vampires who were bitten, obviously, were bitten by a vampire who rose from the dead and turned into one.

-Two ways to kill a vampire are a wooden stake to the heart, or decapitation.

-Typically feed off the blood of adults, though some (mostly bitten vampires) may feed off animals.

-They dislike garlic, though only if you have eaten some. (Unfortunately.)

-They dislike religious symbols. Not only the cross, but also a Jewish star of David, a Buddhist eight-spoked wheel, etc. Though a cross will work best; this is because Vampires are unholy creatures of the night. It won't kill them, but if you wear one it will keep them away.

-Note: It has been reported a few times that some vampires have no aversion to religious symbols. This has always been reported in cases of Bitten Vampires; but most Bitten Vampires may develop a dislike of symbols, though they will not be injured by them or need to keep away from them. It may simply make them feel uncomfortable.

-Do not sparkle.

-Do NOT sparkle.

-Features include: pale skin (sometimes), sharp teeth (careful-they try their best to hide them), bad breath (ONLY if they are vampires who have always been; this is because they are dead and their organs do not work anymore. Bitten vampires may have breath that smells like copper due to the blood.)

-A Vampire will, typically, retain all traits from when they were human.

-Vampires who have always been cannot reproduce. The sperm and eggs are dead.

-Bitten vampires, however, can.

-Vampires who have always been do not eat; they have no need to. Bitten vampires eat very little.

-Despite common belief, Vampires do not have a rivalry with werewolves.

 

The Spy looked at her very long list. She reviewed the list; she knew no one who had any of these qualities....but then she thought of the Rabbitt family.

 

The Rabbitts, a family of individuals who came from Cullough, the world of Horror stories; she hadn't read it yet, but the novel they were from was known as The White Rabbitt, a series of novels taking place in 19th Century England. Vampires were common in Horror stories; perhaps one of the Rabbitts was a vampire?

 

Now, any sane person might go back to the library and get the White Rabbitt novels and easily find out who the vampire was, or even if there was one, but The Spy, being The Spy, decided it was better to find out on her own. She asked around, found out where the Rabbitts lived (The Port of Cheese, a place she had not been too) and instantly headed her way there.

 

As you know, she went there, and met many people she did not know. She had found Cheesemaster, a well-known Invisionists who she did not know, and CC Edna, Mushroom_king, and Clean Machine; she didn't get to meet the latter two very well, as they left, but she had acquired a vital clue from MK-a girl named Dawn, who may be a vampire. Our story begins after she and Clean Machine had left.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster watched as MK ran swiftly towards the pier so she could head home, and without asking, The Spy walked into his house after him.

 

She sat down in one of his armchairs, and Cheesemaster sat in another; Edna sat down near the fireplace. The Spy took off her plaid shawl and beige trench coat, revealing a green-brown vest underneath, and hung them on a hat rack near the door. She then took a pipe out of one of her pockets, and began to smoke it; Edna looked at her disapprovingly.

 

"That's horrible for your body!" He said, pointing to her pipe. She took it out of her mouth and blew some smoke away from him, but said nothing.

Edna folded his arms. "Nobody's going to want to be with you if you do that."

"Good," She said coldly.

"You don't want any friends or a husband or anything?"

"Friends I can stand," She said. "But a husband is something I can't live with."

"That's OK," He sighed, and he sat back down.

"Why did you come all the way here from Hamsterdam to see me?" Asked Cheesemaster.

"I didn't come to see you," She said blankly. "I came to see the Rabbitt family. Might you know where they live?"

He nodded. "Of course I do, I'm close with...most of them."

She smiled, and took off her sunglasses, placing them in the pocket of her coat, still on the rack. "If you wouldn't mind, tell me where they might be?"

"Well, I'd like to go over there as well, if you don't mind. I could help you...but only if you tell me what you're even doing here."

 

The Spy leaned back in her chair and placed her pipe back in her mouth, and crossed her legs, looking directly at him. She explained the details of the case-how she had been getting reports of missing persons, and evidence that a vampire was in their midst. She explained how she had remembered the Rabbitts being from the Horror-Story world, and how there might be a vampire among them.

 

"If there is, he would be the kind that was changed into one after being bitten; that kind can cross water-as in, they can cross the ocean from here to Hamsterdam-but would not be able to get in water."

 

Cheesemaster looked confused. Dawn? Was she talking about Dawn? Dawn would never hurt a human to feed...she had swore only to feed on animals, unless someone said she could suck their blood.

 

"But why would a vampire travel from here to Hamsterdam just to feed?"

She closed her eyes. "There's much more people there, obviously," She explained matter-of-factly.

 

"Well, we might as well get going and head over to the Rabbitt Manor," Cheesemaster said, standing up. "But can Edna come with us?"

"Of course not! The young lady will have to stay here. Children tend to get in the way of investigation. You have to keep your eyes on them at all times, when you should be paying attention to every last detail. The smallest thing could be a vital clue. No children. The girl stays here."

Edna stood defiantly. "a-HEM," He coughed, "I'm not a young lady! I'm a young man."

The Spy grabbed her coat and buttoned it up, then tied the small shawl around her shoulders. "Well, perhaps if you didn't have such a feminine name, I wouldn't confuse you for one."

Edna huffed. He looked at Cheesemaster. "Mr. Cheesemaster, please, I want to come with you!"

Cheesemaster sighed and looked over at The Spy. "I can't just leave him here on his own," He pleaded. "Besides. He's a smart boy...he might just help you out."

She groaned. "No means no."

 

She was about to walk out, when Edna suddenly appeared in front of the door. "Please?" He said, putting on his best sad-orphan face. The Spy frowned. "Young la....Young Man, I've made it clear you cannot come with us."

Cheesemaster walked over and playfully shoved her. "Please, let him come with us. I'll definitely keep my eye on him while you do your work."

 

------------------------------

 

Much to her upset, Edna did tag along as the three walked to the Rabbitt Manor. They knocked on the enormous front doors, and were greeted by James Rabbitt. "Hello, boys," He said as he looked at Edna and Cheesemaster. "Who is this?"

 

"The Spy," She answered. "It's just a name."

James gulped. She glared at him, and walked on inside. "I'm a detective from Hamsterdam."

James gulped again. "Detective?" He smiled. "I've done my fair share of detective work...for my job."

The Spy nodded. "A lawyer. Correct?"

He stopped. "However did you know?"

"On your lapel," She stated, "Is a small gold circle. This states you are an attorney."

He smiled. "Most don't notice my attorney's badge. It is quite tiny. Anyway, if you will, come into the library and perhaps I can speak with you?"

The Spy nodded. "I'll want to ask some questions about your family..."

 

-------------------------------

 

The Spy and James walked into the enormous, spacious library. Edna gasped in excitement and ran off to look around. The Spy walked with James to some chairs to speak with him.

 

"I say, Mr. Rabbitt..." She said as she settled into a small armchair. "

"Yes?"

"You recently went to work on a case recently, no?"

He nodded. "How did you..."

"Just last a few days ago. Two days, even."

His eyes went wide. "How...?"

"Quite a cheap spaceship you travelled in, too. In recent years we have had technology to combat it, but it's not on the cheaper shuttles, posing an enormous health risk; when one travels through space, their bones and muscles tend to get weaker. You seemed very fatigued from merely walking."

He nodded in amazement. "My family noticed when I got back. I made a note to never use that company of space travel again."

"And you were in Germany, no, with a German judge, German prosecutor, German suspects, and German people. When one spends his time around people of ethnicity, he may tend to pick up their ways, including the accent. You're speaking with the queerest mix of English and German."

James looked at her in amazement.

"But anyhow...about your family..."

 

"First and foremost, I'd like to ask about Dawn Rabbitt, if one lives in your house."

James leaned back in a tall, comfortable chair in the spacious library. Cheesemaster and Edna were walking around, looking at the thousands of books in there.

 

"Ah...Dawn. Such an odd girl. She's got such sensitive skin...always goes out on sunny days with a parasol."

The Spy snapped to attention. That was the first hint.

"She asked us to remove all the mirrors from the house, as well...makes things difficult sometimes..."

That was the second one.

"Jacob, my dear brother, hates her with such a passion. I never got a clear answer from him...but one reason, I found, was that she started refusing to go to Church with us on Sundays a few years ago. She said it made her feel sick one day. I had to keep Jacob from hurting her..."

Another.

"She's gotten awful pale as well. I've taken her to a doctor, but nothing is wrong with her..."

The Spy closed her eyes for a moment. "Might I be able to talk to her?"

James's eyes went wide. "She's up in her room...want me to show you the way?"

She nodded, and followed James out of the library and up to Dawn's room for further investigation.

 

 

 

 

[The Spy has to be THE most obvious reference so far. Just wait till you hear what her real name is.]

[Mushroom_king]

The Spy walked up to Dawn's room, led by James Rabbitt, and eventually found the girl's room. She walked in, and found Dawn sitting on her bed, writing in a notebook; her room was of no large size, with two purple beds (one for MK when she stayed over), mannequins with ruffly dresses on them, a purple vanity (with no mirror), and purple walls and floor. Dawn herself turned and looked at her, and her eyes followed The Spy as she came and sat down on the guest bed.

 

"W-Who are you?" Dawn asked, slightly afraid. She put her pen and notebook on her dresser, in between the two beds.

The Spy leered at Dawn. "Tell me, young lady. Have you been to Hamsterdam as of late?"

Dawn gasped. "No! Of course not."

"You lie," She muttered. "On your dress, there is a stain; the stain seems to be glowing. Awful dark in here, ah? The only place that sells a glowing drink is Planet Horatio. Which is only in Hamsterdam."

Dawn gulped. "What are you saying?"

 

The Spy crossed her legs and folded her arms. "I sure have been getting a lot of reports lately about persons formerly reported missing, but then they're found with little to no fluid left in them. I have come to conclusion that only one creature could have done anything like this." Dawn gulped.

 

"The only monster that does such a thing is a vampire, and I've got reason to believe you are one."

Dawn gasped. "Why, you..."

"You don't go to Church with your family anymore. You hate crosses. You have sensitive skin and always walk with a parasol. Adding to that, you are the whitest shade of pale. I have come to the conclusion..."

Dawn shut her eyes and tears flowed out of her eyes. "I didn't even know there were people missing...but I beg of you, I'm innocent."

"Come here," Said the Spy. Dawn did so, and after being instructed to, The Spy looked inside her mouth, and, admittedly very awkward, she swiped a red fluid out of her mouth, and sniffed it.

"Blood," She muttered. "From last night. Awful fresh."

She whipped out her magnifying glass and glanced at her finger, and then inside Dawn's mouth. She sighed.

 

"I'll need a microscope."

 

------------------------------

 

After quite a bit of searching, The Spy eventually found a microscope inside the Mansion. She carefully took a slide, and wiped the blood from inside Dawn's mouth on it, and then started to examined it.

 

"This is animal blood," She sighed. "An animal who lives in the forest..." She looked closer. "A squirrel...how curious."

Dawn gulped as The Spy got up. "You're innocent...I made a miscalculation. I'm such a fool..."

 

She got up and was about to leave, when she noticed Jakob Rabbitt bothering her two young companions, yelling at them, demanding to know why they were in his house. Edna cowered behind Cheesemaster. The Spy, curious, walked over to see what was the matter. Jakob sternly glared at her.

 

"Who are you, woman?" He asked, glancing at her up and down. "Who invited you into my house?"

She said nothing, her expression unchanging. "Mr. Rabbitt, I presume you have just entered your house from a recent trip back to Cullough for a prosecution case. You were in England, and got into a scuffle with someone, and one by simply bashing them with your wedding ring. You took a The Starship Jefferson to get to Cullough and back to Invision. You landed in Hamsterdam, and hurried to the nearest airport where you took the boat, Verne, here to the Port of Cheese, where you automatically headed back to your home."

 

Jakob's eyes narrowed, and he made a swoop for her neck; she nimbly dodged.

 

"Woman, if you're stalking me, I have the right to have the police arrest you."

The Spy laughed. "You foolish man. Stalking I have done none of. I was told by your kind, sweet brother that you were away on a Prosecution case. I assumed England because you are naturally English and have a natural accent, and had you been elsewhere for a case you might have picked up hints of their dialect. Your cuff links are missing, and there is no less then six bruises and three cuts on your hands, showing you got into a fight. Your wedding ring has a small amount of blood on the very tip. The Starship Jefferson is known for having a poor quality of air inside the ship, and you speak as though you have been having difficulty breathing and are just gasping for good air. The only Starport and Airport in Invision is in Hamsterdam so you could have only landed there. The Boat known as Verne always gives away free novels to passengers, and in your vest-pocket, just behind your watch, is a novel. It's '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea', By the way. Good book, I urge you to not toss it away."

 

Jakob was stunned for a moment, and stood there, glaring at her stupidly. Then he scoffed.

"A woman such as yourself making note of all those details? I didn't know a woman's brain was capable of such things."

The Spy narrowed her eyes, and within a few moments, she had smacked him across the face. Jakob stood there, rubbing his face in shock. He then glared at her again, and growled.

 

"First the Newsie and the Orphan enter my house uninvited...and know some woman who needs to find her place...why are you here, in the first place?"

She explained the entire case and it's details to Jakob, and he let out a loud, sarcastic laugh.

 

"A detective? Don't make me laugh, woman! No woman can be a detective!" He didn't realize that this was an extremely hypocritical thing to say, seeing as she'd already proven him wrong in his idea that women weren't capable of finding important details.

 

"Well, you have fun with whatever you do, Rabbitt. I'm off. I have to find things that I won't be finding here at your mansion."

 

----------------------------------

 

The next day, The Spy landed back at her home in Hamsterdam; she knew she had to look for more clues to her case, but she had none whatsoever. Dawn was not the criminal-the victims were all human, and all the blood samples were from animals that lived in the Port of Cheese. She had returned home and had barely sat down when a knock came at the door. She yelled for them to come in, and in walked a man she had not seen in a very, very long time and had forgotten about-Dr. Aloysius Ahrroww.

 

The Spy examined him as he sat down, and found that his shirt and pants were completely spotless.

"I see you carry with you a Bleach Pen," She said nonchalantly. "A pen one uses for cleaning stains."

Aloysius smiled worriedly. "I do, but how did you know? It's not visible in any pocket..."

"Your shirt is so spotless, one would wonder how you do it. It's been raining frequently here in Hamsterdam, so it's nigh impossible for someone to walked through the water without getting the bottom parts of his pant legs dirty. Yet yours are spotless."

Aloysius laughed. "That's very true. But no matter," He said, leaning back in his seat. "I know you must have received thousands of reports about this already-it's big news even back home at-"

"Mount Jazzeh."

"I assume something about me told you I was from Jazzeh?"

She laughed and nodded. "There's still snow on your shoes. But on with what you were saying..."

 

Aloysius closed his eyes and folded his arms. "You see, I was attacked the other night, and while I normally would take such a matter to the police, I was inclined to see you about it because I had read in the paper how you had received reports of people who may have been attacked and murdered by a vampiric being."

The Spy closed her eyes and listened attentively to him, her pipe in her mouth and the smoke curling up towards the ceiling.

 

"I came here to Hamsterdam a few days ago because I wished to see a lady friend of mine who is visiting from the Ahshirt Desert. She had not yet arrived at the place where I planned to meet her, so I took a late-night walk around the town to go see its Canals. It was not that late-perhaps only nine or possibly eight. I was alone, of course, and standing on a bridge overlooking a beautiful canal. I leaned over on the ledge of the bridge, and looked down at myself in the water, when I sensed the strangest presence near me. I looked at the water, and no man was there save for me. But I turn and see a man standing next to me. I look at the water again, and he is not there."

 

"And what did he look like?" Interrupted The Spy, her arms folded in deep thought.

Aloysius thought for a moment. "I'm not quite sure what sort of figure he had. Nearly all his body was covered by a cloak, which was a dark shade of blue and severely uneven. Both his arms were underneath it and little of the rest of his clothing was visible, though I saw an oversized vest on the man-no, no, it was a shirt now that I remember. His cloak had three gold chains going from the slit up he front to his right. His hair went to his chin and was white...I didn't get many facial features."

 

"Thank you. Continue."

 

Aloysius did so. "I turn and looked up at him, and back at the water, and was absolutely frozen in terror that he had no reflection. The man grabs my throat and leans his mouth on it, but then for reasons I do not know he thrust me to the ground and vanished."

 

The Spy thought intently for several minutes, and then asked him, "Did you eat anything before you went out?"

He thought for a few moments. "Ah, yes. I wasn't very hungry, so I had picked up some bread from an Italian restaurant-"

"Anything on them?"

"Yes, there was Garlic on the bread."

The Spy snapped her fingers. "Of course. Vampires hate Garlic blood. Just carrying it is useless-you must eat it first and they will leave you be."

Aloysius smiled. "Good, because that bread with the garlic was delicious."

The woman got up and began to pace back and forth, pondering the situation. Aloysius watched her the entire time, wondering if he could help her in any way possible.

 

After what seemed like hours, Aloysius ended up breaking up her thoughts.

"I hate to interrupt your train of thought, but do you think there's anything I could do to help you in any way?"

She stopped and looked at him. "If you would, I might need your famous intellect on my case."

Aloysius smiled, and nodded his head. "I'd love to be able to help you out, though I'm not sure I can contribute very much..."

"Nonsense, I think you could contribute a lot to my case. For one, should one of us go into town at night unarmed, we might get attacked again; and of course there are safety in numbers. Second, if I'm dealing with a supernatural creature as a vampire, then I might as well team up with another one, such as you, an elf."

Aloysius looked confused. The Spy sat back down in her chair, and laughed. "I knew because any man with hair that long would not be so sharply dressed as you."

Aloysius giggled. "I see. You make it so simple."

The Spy said nothing, and again began to pace back and forth in thought. Aloysius, too, tried to think for a while, before snapping up out of his chair.

 

"Oh, my...I almost forgot my previous engagement with my female friend. I deeply apologize. I must be on my wa-"

He turned and saw The Spy putting on her coat and shawl, preparing to go out. "I'll come with you. A good walk will help my mind. Where are you having your engagement?"

"I was to meet her at Planet Horatio-"

"A breeding ground of folks who might give me clues. I shall come with you."

Aloysius smiled, and said nothing. The two of them walked out, with Aloysius following the woman as she walked ahead, examining everything on the way.

[Mushroom_king]

The duo arrived at Planet Horatio, where the regular folk and the performers were in there. Sitting at a table by herself was Solrai, reading a small book. Aloysius walked over to her and sat down, and she looked up in surprise. The Spy, too, came over and sat down. Solrai looked confused, and she looked at her. "Aloysius, who is this?"

"She's a detective," He explained. "She's called The Spy-"

"It's Just a name," She interrupted. She had taken out a pipe and was lighting it, and Solrai seemed confused. And then Aloysius caught on.

 

"Don't worry, she's a friend, trust me." He said reassuringly. He sat close to her, and The Spy began to explain her case to Solrai. She smiled shyly, and simply stated that she knew nothing of it.

"That's quite unfortunate. Well, I may have to ask for help from some others..." She said, as she noticed a few people were already walking over to her. She sighed, and turned around to her first customer-Roger, who looked as though he had begun to work there, as he had a name badge now. He grabbed a chair and sat down next to her, putting his feet up on the table.

 

"I remember you," She said, glaring at Roger. "You came to me because you had found a body on your way home."

"Thank God it wasn't of anyone I know," He muttered, lighting up a new cigarette. "Or of me."

The Spy asked him if he had seen any men who matched the description Aloysius had given her-Chin-length white hair, an uneven cape covering most of his body, and large white dress shirt. Roger shook his head. "Nope, I ain't seen any guy like that. Then again, I don't know a whole lotta people in this town, or anywhere else."

 

This repeated several times; The Spy questioned Who Are You, Graf Von, Schimmislick, Kat, Glowurm, Woodstock, and Kris, until finally she questioned CampSoup, who was visiting Hamsterdam and had been saving money to visit the Moon, Hue for some time.

 

"Oh, I think I've seen a guy like that..." He said nonchalantly. The Spy's eyes went wide, and she jumped up. "Who?! Where?!"

"I don't know his name," He said, placing his enormous camping backpack and laptop sling on the ground by his chair, and ordering a coffee and bowl of soup from Roger.

 

"You see, I was recently over in the Forum Forest, camping; that's my favorite thing to do. I was watching the wildlife, and had detailed just about every single animal in the woods. So I built a boat out of a fallen tree I found, and using my blanket as a sail and my map and compass I ALWAYS have with me in my backpack, I sailed over to the Main island, into the countryside several hundred miles from Hamsterdam. Not a whole lot of folks living out there, which was good because I had lots of soup with me, and some garlic for some reason. I thought maybe the garlic was left over from a previous expedition, but it was still fresh, and I decided to eat it before it went bad. I put it on my soup because I dislike garlic by itself. I landed on the mainland at sunset, and decided to build a fire and look through my belongings, which is where I found the garlic. I also found my Star of David necklace I'd been looking for for some time now, and glad to have found it, I eagerly tied it around my neck. I was out camping, when it randomly began to begin pouring rain. My fire went out and my tent was getting ruined, so I packed up, got out my umbrella, and walked around to find shelter. I ended up finding a castle, which throughly confused me. I thought perhaps I had sailed to Hamsterking's island, but I checked and I hadn't! I went and decided to check it out; and there I met the gentleman you have described to me. I never got his name; I merely asked for a place to stay for the night, which I got; he asked me to go to dinner, but I explained I had already eaten, which seemed to disappoint him, so I went anyway and ate one more bowl of soup. You can never have too much soup. I asked him if he wanted some, and he turned down my offer; I told him it was absolutely delicious, especially with garlic, and he shivered and again declined. He said he had severe allergies. So I ate my soup and headed to a room. The next morning I awoke, and I went to the bathroom to shave-because even a catman like me needs to shave, after all I am only half human-and I noticed there was no mirror. I found that weird. So, I pulled out my mirror out of my bag and shaved myself with it. It was really difficult, by the way. I thanked the kind man and bid him farewell; and then I came here."

 

The Spy absorbed all of these details, and thought for many moments. "It's a shame you didn't manage to get his name..." She said, disappointed.

"I vaguely remember him telling me..." Said CampSoup, looking at the ceiling. "I just don't remember very well. I was tired, after all..."

"Can you remember <i>anyt</i>thing about him?" She asked, leaning in on him.

CampSoup backed away awkwardly. "I'll try..."

 

CampSoup ordered another bowl of soup. "Soup helps me think," He explained. They were all silent for a while as he ate some soup. Soft, jazz music, a tune the regular customers recognized as one of Roger's original songs. He head recently recorded some of his piano playing with a few other Invisonists, forming a full jazz band, and had recorded his own album, which played in the restaurant all the time.

 

CampSoup had eaten about five bowls of soup before finally getting even a hint of a clue.

"I remember his name had two words...his first name began with V...and his last had an B or T..."

The Spy had written this all down in her noteboo

[Mushroom_king]

The Spy sat at Planet Horatio, thanking CampSoup for his help. Roger again sat down , his legs propped up on the table, a cigarette limply hanging out of his mouth.

 

"I'll be heading towards this mysterious castle tomorrow," She said again, turning down an offer of soup from CampSoup.

"You know, Soup is very good for you. It's the only thing I ever eat. I get all my food groups and vitamins and minerals. I put chicken in it (Kosher! Duh!), veggies, fruits, and the pasta is grain. And I always drink hot chocolate and chocolate milk, because dairy is kind of gross in soup. And look how strong I am. I work all the soup off when I go hiking and camping and boating and rafting and mountain climbing and..." His voice trailed off as he listed all the things in nature he loved to do, and The Spy decided it was best if she stayed there and had some fun.

"But," Said Aloysius, as he put his arm around Solrai, "Don't you need to go home and think over the case?"

She laughed. "This has to be the easiest and simplest case I have ever done. And also the oddest one."

Aloysius nodded in agreement, and the rest of the night went on uneventfully. Aloysius agreed to come with The Spy to find the castle tomorrow, since Solrai was leaving and he had little else to do.

 

---------------------------------

 

The next day came, and Aloysius and The Spy put on heavy clothes as it was a chilly day out, and headed outside of the city to explore for this alleged castle CampSoup had mentioned.

 

The outskirts of Hamsterdam were actually quite peaceful. Not a whole lot of folks lived out there, and it mostly belonged to the animals. Aloysius began to wonder if the Vampire fed on the animals when he was desperate.

 

They eventually did, in fact, find an enormous, stone castle. It was quite odd, knowing that such a thing had existed out here for such a time and they had no idea that it did. They glanced at the enormous front doors; of course there was no moat, since vampires can't cross water. The two suddenly wondered how Stewart could have gotten the vampire to Invision, and then they wondered if perhaps he had been here long before they had come.

 

They had barely knocked on the front doors when they creaked open, and they were greeted by a low, creeping voice. It was still day outside, though there was no sun; they wondered if the shafts of sun that come through the clouds were capable of killing a vampire as well. They slowly walked inside to the dark, cold room.

 

--------------------------------

 

Aloysius and The Spy looked around for a while, before having the doors slam shut behind them, and felt someone in the room with them. They stopped and tried to look around, but it was pitch dark and impossible to see anything. Eventually, they found that a candle had been lit, and when they looked in its direction, they found the man himself-the man who had attacked Aloysius on the bridge.

 

He was just as Aloysius had described him to be-uneven, blue cape, white hair, and the oversized dress shirt; He wore dark brown pants, had narrow eyes, and was incredibly pale. He looked extremely threatening with the candlelight illuminating his pallid face; he smiled at Aloysius, his sharp teeth showing over his blood-red lips. And finally, he spoke; his voice contained, what else but a Romanian accent.

 

"It's wonderful to see you again, Dr. Ahrroww," He said, grinning at him. He stared at Aloysius's neck, but not in thirst; before they left, The Spy made sure they suited up for protection, and Aloysius reluctantly went with wearing a crucifix around his neck, as well as eating several loaves of garlicky food. The man (who they knew his initials were VT), led them away to who knows where; for all they knew they were being led to their deaths, but the two were optimistic that they'd be alright.

 

They were led into a spacious Living Room, with an enormous, blazing fireplace and plenty of chairs and bookshelves. He sat down and motioned for the duo to sit down, as well. They were suspicious, but knew they were safe due to their precautions.

"Come," Demanded the man, and he continued to motion them to follow him. They were led into an enormous dining room with an enormous table. It reminded Aloysius of The Rabbitt Manor, only far more extravagant, if that was possible. It was also far colder, with the cold, grey stone walls.

 

The man sat down at the very end of the table while Aloysius and The Spy sat together at the other end. The man giggled.

"I'm dearly sorry. I forgot to introduce myself," He said, grabbing a goblet full of a questionable red liquid, swirling it around evilly. "My name is Vlad Tepes. And I've always wanted to meet some Englishmen," He said, staring at Aloysius; and then he looked at The Spy. "And women, with all due respect to Miss Locke."

Aloysius turned and looked at her. "Locke?"

The Spy took out her pipe from her vest-pocket and lit it. "Oh, don't you remember, Dr. Ahrroww? 'The Spy' was nothing but a name. Just a Name."

Aloysius seemed confused. Vlad's mouth twisted into a sick grin.

"Shirley Locke," She said, cooly. "I went by The Spy for fun...and to try and ignore attention."

Vlad giggled viciously. "Miss Shirley Locke! The famous detective from London, England. And you, my good man, are also from England, no?"

Aloysius gulped and nodded. "Miss Locke...Oh, Dear. I have heard your name before in the papers."

"As have I seen yours," She said nonchalantly.

"But I'm not from the City," He said, laughing. "I lived in a little house on the outskirts of the city, where I could concentrate on my work. I hoped to bring my children there someday and live with them there in peace and quiet."

Vlad applauded for no apparent reason. "Oh, Doctor! Oh, Miss Locke! Your accents are simply beautiful. Especially yours, Doctor. You know, I've always had quite the interest in your country and its people. But you see," He said, grimly, "I had no way of going from my own homeland of Romania to England. I positively loathe the ocean. I also had no idea that Miss Locke lived in the town near here. I thought that the only Englishman here was that Phoenix living on the Mountain, which is across the ocean too."

 

Shirley eyed Vlad suspiciously. "The ocean? What issue do you have with the ocean?"

Vlad glared at her, knowing she was on to him. "I had the most traumatic experience there as a child. I do not wish to talk about it, Miss Locke."

"Oh, please do!" She announced, as she puffed a few blue rings of smoke. "You see, Mr. Tepes...I'm on a very important case as of late and you are the prime suspect."

Vlad's dark eyes grew wide. "Me? A suspect? I would never hurt anything," He said, but Shirley saw him trying to contain his own laughter.

"You are acting extremely suspicious, Mr. Tepes."

Vlad stood up, and he looked at the ceiling, and then spun around and looked at Shirley, who was also up. He growled at her, and quickly began to move towards her.

"What makes you suspect me, Hmmm?" He said, as he stood above her. The two of them stood in front of the fireplace, their shadows flickering upon the wall, as Vlad tried to frighten her with his height. She simply continued to puff away at her pipe.

"A witness," She whispered. "A certain CampSoup."

Vlad roared and lunged for her neck, his impossibly sharp canines now visible, but Shirley was too fast for him.

"Don't try me, woman," He said, grabbing a poker from the fireplace and bent it in half with his superior strength, again trying to scare her. Shirley stared at him for a long time, took the poker, and much to the surprise of the two men in the room, bent it back into normal shape. She then drew a rapier that she had secretly brought with her, and thrust Vlad onto the floor, and held out a crucifix, which made him shield his eyes in horror.

"Doctor!" She shouted, looking at Aloysius. "Reach into my bag and grab the stake!"

Aloysius did so with no question, reaching into her large purse she had brought along and taking out a wooden stake and a hammer. They had planned to drive it into Vlad's Heart, for driving a stake into a vampire's heart was the most effective way of destroying one.

 

Aloysius came over to Vlad and was about to slam the stake into Vlad's torso, before he suddenly vanished. Shirley and Aloysius were dumbfounded, and frantically looked around in severe worry.

"Doctor! Keep your guard up! He could be anywhere!"

She glanced around with her attentive eyes. She then gasped. "I forgot to tell you, select vampires have the power of shape-shifting. If Vlad can do that, then he has completely outsmarted us!"

"Outsmarted?" Stammered Aloysius as he walked over to her. "But Shirley Locke, be outsmarted?"

Shirley rolled her eyes. "I've been outsmarted before, Doctor. Including this time, it's been by three men and one woman."

She groaned, and lit up her pipe again. "Come, Doctor. We have failed this time, but I have a plan."

Shirley walked over to her bag, her high heels clacking away. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Come with me, Doctor. You can help."

 

------------------------------

 

Shirley clacked away, going up to every door in the castle, picking the locks if they were locked, and would fill the inside with a strange paste. It smelled strongly, so Aloysius typically stayed away from it, until they finally made it to the front door. Shirley had run out of paste (and besides, she would not have been able to make it all away around the enormous doors), so she took a small bit of rope out of her purse, grabbed two pieces of timber laying nearby, and fashioned it into a crucifix. She then propped up the crucifix against the doorway.

 

"Is this to keep him out?"

"To keep him in," She explained. "That paste was made of Garlic."

"But you said only ingested garlic warded them off."

Shirley giggled.

"S-Shirley? Don't tell me you..."

"Don't be so ridiculous, Doctor. Some pets of mine did the work for me."

"But Shirley, what if he is out now? It will keep him out, and he will stay out here forev..." He suddenly stopped. Shirley giggled.

"The sun has to come out sometime, Doctor."

"The Sun...hold on," He started to say as they started to head back for Hamsterdam. "What about me?"

"What about you?"

"I'm an elf of the Sun. Does that make me naturally repellent to him?"

She stopped. "You know, I have no idea. What a curious question. But the answer is no."

"How so?" He asked as they continued walking.

She giggled. "Can your body itself produce light?"

Aloysius smiled shyly. "Oh, well that makes sense I suppose."

 

-----------------------------

 

Morning had come by the time the two got back to Shirley's house on Baker Street, Hamsterdam. Aloysius was tired, but Shirley opted to stay up and further examine the case.

"Mr. Tepes, I will not rest until I find you, whether you are dead or alive," was all Aloysius heard before taking a long nap in her guest room. By the time he woke up, afternoon had passed and Shirley lay on her living room chair, and it appeared she was sleeping, until Aloysius heard her say something. He swiftly turned around, his heart beating quickly from the surprise.

"My God, Shirley, you're still awake? Surly you must be tired."

She shut her eyes and without looking at him said, "I never rest when I'm on a case. I absolutely must find this Tepes character. But from what I believe, he may already be dead; we will only have to wait and see."

"I've gotten kind of curious as to who this Vlad Tepes is, anyhow..." Muttered Aloysius.

Shirley handed him an open book. "See for yourself," She said. Aloysius looked, and he gasped.

 

Upon the page was Vlad Tepes; he had lived and died over a century ago. He was incredibly wealthy, and had been known for his inhuman strength.

"But why would Stewart-he is the man who brought you all here, correct?-bring such a dangerous monster here?"

Shirley gazed out into space. "I have little to no idea. It's a well-established fact that he's been dead...and I can hardly imagine why. After all, he must have known that young lady Dawn was a vampire, which already puts us in danger."

"For all I know, he only brought Vlad to add danger to out lives."

Shirley laughed heartily. "There you go, Dr. Ahrroww! That's using your imagination. But you have to use deduction if you ever want to figure this out. And I," She said, as she put on her shawl and coat, "Will be unable to rest until this mystery is solved."

She was about to leave, when Aloysius suddenly began to rush to get his things together. "Oh my Goodness," He stammered, rushing out. "I have to get back home to my son. He and I are going to go to the island of Leguan soon, because he said he needed to talk to someone about his newest project."

Shirley giggled. "Well, my dear Ahrroww...I very much enjoyed having your company. If you can, would you ever come back to help me with my cases?"

Aloysius smiled at her before running off, and shouted to her: "I'll try too!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Whoever can find all the Sherlock Holmes references wins.]

 

 

 

 

[Next two stories are Leguan and MK.]

[Mushroom_king]

[yea, this and ADRPG are pretty much the only tawpeeks I talk in anymore.]

 

 

Dr. Aloysius Ahrroww and his son Arkcher Ahrroww (who more than likely will be referred to as "Doctor" someday) were on a plane headed for the island of Leguan.

"You know, dad, once we arrive you'll only have Adstar to visit."

"I may as well visit Taynio again, too. We didn't exactly stay there very long last time," He said, shooting a threatening glance towards The Author.

"Well..." Said Aloysius, sighing as he looked out the window. "What kind of place is the island?"

"Oh, I think you'll like it. There's a lot of Europeans living here...for some reason. There's...hold on...There's a German, Two Swedes, ummm...Oh, there's one Brit. I think she's the only one who doesn't live on another island...at least, the only one I know. There's one woman I think may be Russian...or Italian...I don't know....I don't think it counts, but an Australian lives here, too. Oh, there's one woman who isn't actually from Earth but she went there once. I think he went to Russia too. Oh, I just remembered one more Brit who lives here, and...."

Aloysius merely stared off into space as his son trailed on about the residents of the island. He was actually wondering not about the inhabitants, but about why his son needed to come here. He said he was already working on another project.

 

"Son," Said Aloysius, worried, "What have you been doing? You've been late to dinner every night this week...and you stay up all night. This is so unlike you."

Aloysius had walked down to the Lab underneath The Mansion, where Arkcher was busy looking at and poking his workbench. He turned and looked at his father, who gasped.

 

Arkcher had donned a mask typically used by blacksmiths; his normally beautiful hair had gotten matted and frayed.

"Arkcher, what the #### have you been doing?"

"I've been working on a new project," He said.

"Already? You just finished Clean Machine."

"I know, I know. But my Inventive Mind simply can't stay away from this. Ever since I learned about it it's plagued my sleep."

"What is it, though?!"

Arkcher pointed towards his work-bench. "That!"

 

Aloysius was still confused about this matter, but he thought about it no more; they were now landing.

A voice came over the loudspeaker, speaking in an English accent. It repeated the familiar instructions for safety and reminded passengers to stay in their seats and not smoke. This automatically made Aloysius think of Roger, who would have smoked anyway. The instructions were then repeated in German, Italian, French, Dutch...

 

"This reminds me of when you came to my school for Bring-Your-Dad-To-School day," Whispered Arkcher. He giggled as the two of them remembered it.

 

It was one year before Arkcher came to Invision; he, Jeff, and Paul(a) were sitting in class-Arkcher had long forgotten which-when their teacher (Not the Englishman who had taught them when Arkcher had first arrived; this teacher was of an unknown origin to Arkcher) announced something.

 

"And remember, boys; next week is the day your father will come to visit the school. We very much look forward to seeing them, so try to get a hold of them!"

And then class was dismissed.

 

As they walked to their next class, Jeff showed interest in Arkcher's father.

"Yoh fatheh is the inevntah, roight?" He said excitedly. "Ui caan't wait foh him to come heah." And then he sighed sadly. "Unfohtunately, moi dad can't come...we'h fah too poor. He cawn't affohd a plane heah."

Paul stretched and laughed. "Loik anyone wants to meet moi dad. He's not a big fancy inventah oh a big fancy rich guy. He'd be bohring to you two and the fancy-boy and his friends." sHe was of course referring to Thomas von Foster IV and his little gang of friends, whose fathers were all filthy rich tycoons. Thomas was excited about his father coming and was bragging.

 

"My dad can only speak German," Thomas boasted. "I will be serveeng az hiz tranzlator," He said as he flipped his bloodred hair. Paul glared at him as they walked by, and Thomas back at her; ever since the two of them had fought in the cafeteria that day, they'd held grudges against each other, though these grudges were mostly racist ones, with Thomas loathing her due not to that she beat him up, but due to his dislike of Americans; he would scoff at her New York accent, calling it "The Poor Man's English Accent", while Paul teased him for being weak and for his German accent. "Go back to Russia!" She would say mockingly. Jeff and Arkcher severely disapproved of this, of course.

 

The week passed quickly after Arkcher had received word his father was definitely coming, and finally the day came. And nearly every boy's father had come....the only fathers Arkcher didn't see were, of course, Jeff and Paul. Thomas and all his friend's fathers had come.

 

It was lunchtime when they all arrived. Arkcher and Aloysius tried not to cry when they saw each other; and sitting right behind them was Thomas and his father, Thomas von Fost III; Salvator and his father, Emilio Ricchi Uomini; Edvard and his father, Edvard Kulikk Senior; and Charley and his father, Alfred Clayton Scott-Leighton. And yes, he really really hates it when people comment about how his name rhymes.

 

About ten minutes after they arrived, Thomas asked if he could meet Arkcher's father; Aloysius, of course, agreed. The younger Thomas opened his mouth to introduce Aloysius to his father in German, before Aloysius did it himself:

 

"Anreden, ich bin der Erfinder Aloysius Ahrroww, freuen, Sie kennen zu lernen."

 

Thomas (both of them) gasped, though the older one seemed less surprised.

Older Thomas shook his head. "Du bist ein Engländer, richtig? Ihr Deutsch ist nicht so gut."

Aloysius seemed offended; the two boys just looked at each other in confusion, Arkcher especially.

"Ja, ich bin aus England. Meinen Sie nicht Englisch sprechen werden?"

Older Thomas slowly cocked his head. "Onlvee small bet of et. Enough to understend."

"Ah, then don't be saying my German is bad because your English is as bad as my German."

Thomas seemed offended. He folded his arms and glared at Aloysius. Arkcher noted that his manner was very similar to Thomas when he was offended, but otherwise, the Older Thomas seemed more relaxed and less obsessed with money...

 

 

Arkcher's flashback was interrupted when the plane landed and Aloysius shook him back to reality. "Come, son, we've landed."

Arkcher shook his head back to reality and muttered "Oh, OK." He grabbed his suitcase and followed his father off the plane.

 

The airport they landed in had signs in well over ten different languages, all European, or at least Aloysius said that. They hurried off out of the airport (after going through customs...again), and found themselves in a bustling city.

"This should be where he lives," Mumbled Arkcher.

"You still haven't even told me who," Aloysius muttered under his breath, but he followed his son anyway.

 

The two of them walked out into the city, a bustling place where Aloysius heard many different languages being spoken around him.

"Arkcher, where does this person live, anyhow?"

"Not in the city..." Muttered Arkcher, motioning for his father to follow him. Aloysius was confused, but complied anyhow.

 

The two walked through the enormous city, which Aloysius noted a few times heavily reminded him of Berlin. They had walked for quite some time when Aloysius asked,

"I'm kind of surprised you haven't hailed a cab..."

Arkcher stopped. "But I don't know how to hail a cab here in Leguan. This particular city speaks German, which I know nothing of. Oh, they speak Russian sometimes too."

Aloysius sighed. "Well, I'm not the type who rides in an automobile-I'd much rather take my own God-given feet-but you're different from me, so do you want to take a cab instead?"

Aloysius shouted something in German, and before they knew it, a car had pulled up to take them where they needed to go. Aloysius muttered something German to the driver, and before they knew it they were off.

 

----------------------------------

 

The cab stopped outside of the city. The buildings of the city were still visible in the near distance, and the noise was faint. In front of them was a large laboratory, with a garden in the back. Despite the clashing of the mechanical-looking building and the natural garden in the back, the place seemed friendly. Arkcher rushed inside, with Aloysius barely keeping up. Arkcher knocked on the metal door of the house, and was answered by a man's voice shouting "Hold Oooon!". A crash was heard, and then the same voice said, wearily, "Come in."

 

Arkcher turned the knob and walked into the house. The very first thing Aloysius noticed was that every single piece of machinery in the house/lab was completely steam-powered. He suddenly felt sorry for any glasses-wearers who may have visited the house in the past, and for anyone with sensitive ears who had visited. The noise was not exactly loud, but it did get irritating after some time; but it only became irritating if you were the type not excited by machines, and because Aloysius was, he was far too busy examining all the machines to pay attention to the noise.

 

His attention, however, was no longer drawn to the machines when a stranger suddenly walked into the room. He was a man probably in his twenties, with a blond bowl cut (a look only this particular man could make seem sophisticated), and some brown goggles strapped to his head. He had a bottle-green vest with a cream-colored shirt underneath, dark green pants, and some brown boots with his pants tucked into them. His appearance matched the machines.

Arkcher moved so Aloysius was directly in front of the stranger, who had a smile on his face and kind eyes.

"Leguan, this is my dad, the inventor."

Leguan took Aloysius's hand from his side and shook it warmly. "Is vehry nize to meet you, good sir," He said. He was apparently German; Aloysius wondered if his son just naturally met German people wherever he went. Leguan (as he assumed he was called) stepped back and bowed to him. "I take et that you have a great intreest in my mazchinesss," he said, hissing the S on the end of "Machines". "Vell, I vuilt mozt of thossse myzelf."

Aloysius gasped. "Oh, that's incredible! Are you an inventor, too?"

He shook his head. "Biologie, actually."

"Oh," Said Aloysius. "Well, as you know I myself am an inventor! If I could, I'd absolutely love to study..."

Another booming crash was heard in another room, causing Aloysius to nearly topple over. "What in the World...?"

"Zat was my partner," Muttered Leguan. "It's hevving some deefehculties, obvioussly..."

"It?" Wondered Aloysius, and his confusion only worsened when he saw a tall woman walk into the room. She wore a white lap coat, had brown hair that looked like it had not been combed, and had the most bizarre visor covering her eyes. It looked like a laser; perhaps she was an inventor.

 

"Oh, uh..." Muttered Aloysius, looking at her. "Miss, is something wrong? Did something break? I'd like to help."

She shook her head. "I'm fine," She muttered, with Leguan muttering something to her.

Aloysius caught on.

"O-Oh! She's..Is she your wife?"

Both of them spun around and rapidly shook their heads. "No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No!!" Said Leguan. "She iss not my vife. Juzt my partner."

Aloysius scratched his head. "But that's the same thin..."

"WORKING," Shouted the woman, "Partner."

Aloysius blushed. "I'm so very sorry. I must have deeply offended both of you."

"Iss OK," Said Leguan. "Aloysiusss, this iss vy working partner, Misss Amara Kjemiker."

"Otherwise known as the one and only Alienfreak," She said. "I prefer you call me that."

"Alright, Miss Alienfreak," He said, bowing to her. "It's very nice to meet you. I assume by your family name you are a Chemist by trade, no?"

She flushed in the face. "I've never met anyone who knows Norwegian," She mumbled. "Yes, I am a Chemist. But I am also an inventor; I mostly work with lasers." She tapped her headgear. "I created this myself. Would you like to see it?"

"NO!!!" Shouted Leguan, but it was too late. A blue laser had been shot out of the machine, and Aloysius only very nimbly dodged it. The laser, thankfully, did not hit any of the machines.

 

Leguan groaned. "I tell vyou and tell vyou NOT to fire zat thing in ze house...but zyou still do et anyway...."

Alienfreak apologized profusely, and the two scientists finally noticed that Arkcher was also there.

"Oh, I've been waiting for vyou," said Leguan excitedly. "Vat es et that vyou have to show me?"

Arkcher carefully lifted his suitcase and showed it to Leguan.

"MY GOD! THES ES THE GREATEST ZUITCASE I'VE VER SEEN-"

"No, no, it's what's inside."

"Oh," Said Leguan, disappointed. "But et truly es nice! Look at ze leather...My God, es et vintage?"

Arkcher ignored him as Leguan led the group into another room. This room was where Alienfreak had been, and in the room (which looked as though it was normally clean); a few chemicals had spilt in the corner, and she automatically began to clean it while Arkcher opened his suitcase. He took out a small plastic bag they assumed had nothing in it, opened it, and very carefully placed something on the table.

[Mushroom_king]

Leguan grabbed a magnifying glass and tried to look at it, before realizing he would need something far stronger. He placed the glass back up in the shelf, and then placed his goggles over his eyes, and began to spin a small wheel on either side of the goggles. He stared at the table for a very long time.

 

"I zee," He said, placing his goggles back up in his hair. "Been studying Nano-Technology, have vyou?" He said, turning to look at Arkcher, who grabbed the object.

"Nano-what?" Muttered Aloysius. "I-I'm sorry, I rarely tend to pay attention to what happens with the scientific community."

"Nano-technology is the study of REALLY, REALLY tiny objects..." Mumbled Alienfreak, standing back up.

Arkcher walked over to Leguan and placed the...whatever it was into Leguan's ear. Leguan stood for a few moments, before slowly gasping.

"My God!" he said. "Vyou've made a tiny radio!"

Arkcher nodded. "It will revolutionize the industry of handheld music," he exclaimed pompously. Alienfreak sighed and stared into space.

"More like it'll revolutionize the industry of High Schoolers listening to it in class," She said. Arkcher growled at her, and she suddenly began to leave.

"I'm going to work on the airship," She Said. Leguan looked at her with sad eyes, and then chased after her.

 

Arkcher folded his arms. "Hmph. How rude."

Aloysius looked at him sincerely. "Please don't talk that way, son."

"But she didn't even show any interest in it! It's because it's new technology. She only likes old stuff. Leguan likes both." He sighed. "I'm gonna have to get a patent on this if I want to manufacture it."

Aloysius laughed and put his hand on Arkcher's shoulder as they left.

 

------------------------------

 

Leguan ran through the laboratory and though the living quarters of the house until he got outside, where he went though his biology garden, and finally got to the garage, where Alienfreak was. As he ran to the garage, he remembered how he had first met her back in Germany.

 

Though Leguan was born in Cologne, he had gone to College in Munich where he was getting a degree in Biology as well as Engineering. He had met Alienfreak-though then she was known solely as Amara-when she was being bothered by a group of young men.

 

"What makes you think a woman can be in our class?" Said one of them. "No woman has the brains to be an engineer! Why don't you go take a cooking class? Or better yet, why don't you just get a job cleaning up the dorms?"

"Leave her alone!" Shouted Leguan. The bullies turned and looked at him. "Well if it isn't Mr. Vest and Bow Tie, what the #### do you want?"

"I said leaf her alone," He shouted. "Anyvun can practice Engineering if zey vant too. Even a vooman."

"Yea right!" Shouted one of them. "What, is she your girlfriend or something?"

"I don't even know her," Said Leguan. "Now stop et."

The bullies giggled. "What's Mr. Pocket-Watch-And-Handkerchief gonna do to me? You spend so much time in your laboratory doing nothing but spend time with your stupid plants and lab rats, not only do you have no friends, but you're way too weak to survive a fight against me!"

"We'll see about zat," He muttered, rolling up his sleeves. Before anyone could do anything, Leguan had punched him square in the forehead, knocking him back.

 

The other three were far too surprised that Leguan had even sent their leader flying backwards to respond; their leader stood back up, and had a huge bump on his forehead where Leguan had hit him, and was clutching it painfully. He glared at Leguan, but said nothing, only running away from him. Leguan didn't know it, but they hid behind a tree so they could spy on him.

 

Leguan walked over and helped the girl up, asking her if she was alright.

"I'm fine, danke," She said, and looked at the wrist of his shirt, gasping. "Why are there clocks on your cuffs?" She asked once she was up and had dusted the dirt and grass off her clothing.

Leguan lifted his hand and looked at it. "Oh! I made zose. Dey work, too. Zey're quite nice, too," He exclaimed, smiling. He stared off at the setting sun and knew the day was pretty much done. He scratched his head, and suddenly asked her, "Vat es your name, anyway?"

"Amara," She muttered. "And you?"

"Leguan," He said, smiling. "A pleazure to meet vyou," He said, shaking hands with her.

"You're in my engineering class, aren't you?" She asked, as they began to walk to nowhere in particular. Leguan nodded, and Amara sighed. "I'm ashamed to say I'm horrible at the class."

"Vell, I could help vyou wiff et if vyou vanted me too," Volunteered Leguan. Amara gasped. "Would you really? That would be fantastic," She said.

"Come on, zen," Said Leguan as he ran over to the School's parking lot, and led her over to a German-made motorcycle. By this point the boys who had been harassing her earlier were now completely dumbfounded that the nerdy biologist with the vest and pocketwatch rode a motorcycle.

 

"Is your dorm really that far away from here?" Asked Amara. "Far enough that you have to drive?"

Leguan laughed. "I don't live en a dorm," He said. "I did for a year, en then dezided et was far too small for my studiez," He said, climbing on. "Come on, zen," He said, handing her a helmet as well and driving off. Amara was stunned to see absolutely no smoke come out of the motorcycle nor hear any roar; all she heard was the hiss and all she saw was the steam. She was confused, but said nothing of it; and they got some equally strange looks from passerby.

 

The group of boys behind the tree weren't sure what to think about Leguan now.

 

-------------------------------

 

After a short drive, Leguan and Amara arrived at a small building that was near the University. Leguan led her into his house, where she saw for the first time all his steam-powered mechanisms. He led her into the center of the room, got out some books, and began to help her study. They were silent for some time, until Legua asked the question that truly started their friendship:

"Amara," He asked her, "Do vyou think zat everyfing could be powered by steam?"

She raised her head up from the book she had been reading, and smiled at him. "You know...I thought I was insane for thinking that."

Leguan giggled and turned around. "Let me show you somefing," He said, and he grabbed a machine off of a desk nearby, and set it in between them.

"Iss a microwafe," He said, and he grabbed something else out of a cabinet, and placed it inside of the microwave. With the press of a button and a hiss of steam, the microwave started to work, and after a few minutes, it stopped.

Leguan took out a plate that contained a set of fully cooked vegetables and meat. He handed it to her, and she cautiously began to eat it.

 

She smiled at him. "Incredible," She said, "You made a machine that works as well as an oven but runs on no electricity?"

"I try not to use it ven I can," He said. "But a lot of my machines do heff to use it."

She giggled, and then she looked confused. "Your cycle, did you build it as well?"

He nodded, and she gasped. "The entire thing?!"

He nodded again.

Her mouth hung agape in shock. "You've built a motor vehicle with no noise that uses no oil!!! Do you realize what you have done?!"

Leguan seemed confused.

"This world's looked for so many alternatives to oil for motors, and you've found one!"

Leguan sighed. "I know, I know. But no vun hes taken my inventions zeriously. They tell me to vocus on Biology..."

 

Leguan thought about their initial meeting until he had actually gotten inside the garage, where Alienfreak was up on a platform working on the airship.

The two of them had decided it to be their mission to make steam-powered vehicles a daily part of life. They had already made Steam-Powered cycles and Boats, and their next missions were aircraft and automobiles. The aircraft they were working on now was big enough just for the two of them, plus cargo. When it was finished they would fly it around Invision for everyone to see. They were about half-way through the construction of the craft, and she had climbed to the top to work on it.

 

Leguan stood at the bottom of the craft, looking up at her, and then climbed up to help her with whatever she was doing, and began to talk with her about his travels around Germany.

"You know, I was once on a trip with some other students, when our bus broke down in an area of a city famous for its prostitutes..."

"At least you had plenty to do," Said Alienfreak nonchalantly. Leguan blushed and gasped. "I never though I'd hear you say something like that!" he said, giggling.

Their working conversations typically went like that, with the two exchanging stories, until the sun had set, which was when they would finally stop and track their progress; after seeing how much more work had to be done, they would go eat dinner and maybe drink a few beers-German beer, of course-and then Leguan would tell Alienfreak all about his German heritage and everything he knew about his country.

 

Tonight, in the daily progress report, Leguan smiled and Alienfreak began to wonder what was up.

"We're half-way through the project," he said excitedly.

[Mushroom_king]

Leguan and Alienfreak woke up early the next morning in order to board one of the ships they had made themselves. This ship had not been handed over to any of the docks on the island, as, like the airship they were building, this boat only had enough room for the two of them plus cargo. The good news was that the boat had a control system that enabled it to go its course on its own, so the two of them would be able to get some rest.

"I hope you brought a gift for your friend," Said Alienfreak. Leguan smiled and took out a gift-wrapped box from out of a drawer. "I already did," He said. "Too bad I alvredy wrapped it up. Vyou can't see et."

"Could you tell me what it is, then?"

"Well...it's what I got you for your last birthday."

She smiled at him before laying back down on the bed. "I think he'll like it, then," She said sleepily before going to sleep.

 

----------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, back at the Port of Cheese...

 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. CHEESEMASTER!!!" Shouted Edna, jumping onto Cheesemaster's bed and jumping up and down on the unoccupied part of the bed. Cheesemaster instantly woke up, barely grabbed his glasses, and put them on before seeing Edna jumping up and down.

"Edna, stop that," He said, giggling. "I know you're excited, but do it when I'm not trying to sleep."

Edna let one final bounce and landed on the bed. "Come on, come on!" He said, barely able to contain his excitement, as he grabbed Cheesemaster's hand and tried to pry him from the bed.

"Hold on, Edna! I don't even have my shoes on. I need to brush my hair and make my bed, too."

"OK!" Said Edna after Cheesemaster had gotten out of bed. He climbed on top and tried to make the bed himself, but his small size made it difficult; he eventually resorted to using his PSI in order to finish. "There! All done."

Cheesemaster laughed. "Arigatou, Edna," He said, and then he sighed. "Eh, now I feel weird..."

"Why?" Said Edna, sounding concerned.

"I usually don't throw Japanese words into my conversations...unless I'm actually speaking Japanese..."

Edna's eyes grew wide. "You can speak Japanese?"

He nodded.

"I didn't even know you were Japanese," Said Edna quietly. "I thought you were English."

Cheesemaster giggled. "But I am English! I was raised in England!"

"Oh, OK," Laughed Edna. "That makes a bit more sense..."

"I only lived in Japan for five years, anyway," He said. "I don't really remember a whole lot."

Edna smiled. "You're the most interesting person I know!"

"Thanks, I guess," He said, and the two of them started walking into the living room.

There they found Kat, who greeted them by doing what she did best: Yelling.

 

"CHEESEMASTER!!!!!!!" She screamed, "I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO!!!"

Cheesemaster's glasses fell to the tip of his nose, as they always did when he was suddenly confused. "W-what?"

"I ALREADY KNOW! YOU'VE JOINED FORCES WITH THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE AND ARE WATCHING EVERY MOVE I MAKE!!!"

"But Kat-"

"YOUR SECRET IS OUT!!!" She screamed as she ran out of his house.

"But Kat-"

"Oh, and here's your birthday present," She said, throwing a small box at him.

"But Kat-"

"I have to go bring down the United States Postal Service. DON'T TRY LYING! I KNOW YOU WORK WITH THEM!!!"

And she left.

"But Kat..." He said, with the most confused look on his face, "I've never even been to the United States...."

He sighed as he opened the box. Inside was a stick of gum, a sharpie, pocket lint, five tacks, silly putty, and a dollar. An American dollar.

Cheesemaster sighed. "Looks like she went treasure hunting in the woods again," She said. "Good thing she didn't give me twenty jars of baby food like she did last year..."

"Ewwww," Muttered Edna. "What did you even do with that kind of thing?"

"Feed it to you. JUST KIDDING," he said, laughing.

 

A knock then came to the door, and when the two of them opened it, Arkcher and MK were there yelling "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"

"Ah...Hi, guys. Thanks for coming."

Behind them was Cheese Woman, in her best ruffly Lolita dress. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHEESIE!!!" She shouted, and then she tackle-hugged him.

"Thanks, everyone," He said, blushing. His three friends sat down in the armchairs as well as a chair pulled from the kitchen.

"I've been really busy with my newest project," Explained Arkcher, "So I'll have to leave very soon. But I did manage to come in order to give you a prototype of my latest invention..."

Everyone looked in awe as Arkcher handed a box to Cheesemaster, which he opened. Inside was a plastic bag seemingly full of nothing.

 

"Arkcher, what is it?" He said, opening the bag to see what if anything would come out. He had learned to do this when, for his 14th Birthday, Kat gave him oxygen. It wasn't quite as mean as his first year on Invision, when she sent him a block of swiss cheese. Which was also the kind of cheese he was made of.

 

"I've been experimenting with various kinds of nanotechnology as of late," He said. "That's a tiny radio you can fit in your ear. I built a second radio just for you."

"T-Thanks," Stuttered Cheesemaster. He didn't see how he would use it, but just the fact that he was holding a groundbreaking piece of technology was enough for him.

 

"Well," Said Arkcher, standing up. "I really hate to say it, but I must be on my way. I can't afford to waste anymore time not doing work.

Cheesemaster gritted his teeth after Arkcher left. "Waste time? Is that what he thinks of me...?" He murmured.

Mushroom knew she was supposed to come with him, but she stayed behind anyway.

"Here," She said, "Aloysius made these for you. They were one of the first things he invented, and he decided you could use them better then him. Arkcher modified them a bit, though."

She handed him a box covered in construction paper with doodles from Sean and Julian on it, which he opened up to find a white box. Inside was a pair of yellow suspenders, which upon closer inspection, doubled as tape measures.

Cheesemaster looked at them in sheer confusion and shock. It was an odd present, sure, though it was kind of useful...

"So, uhm, how did these get modified?"

"They work as a grappling hook!" She said, excitedly. "Granted, I don't think you'll have much use for that sort of feature..."

He smiled. "It's OK. I really like them. Tell him I said thanks."

"And from me!" Squealed Cheese Woman, hugging him again.

"A hug? Even Kat wouldn't give that to me..." He murmured, but she shook her head. "No, no.." She said, and she took out an object from her purse and slapped it upon his head. It was a brand-new brown newsboy cap, with the Japanese Kanji 愛 Stitched into it in grey thread.

"Ehhh..." He said, smiling, "Uh...Thanks, Cheese Woman..."

"You're welcome!" She said, giggling.

Edna got up and stood in front of Cheesemaster, looking upset. "I couldn't find anything I could give you that I could afford..." Said Edna, reaching into his pocket, "So here's the change I saved up from the shoe-shine stand I planned to use for a gift."

Cheesemaster gasped. "Edna, no...it's your money..."

"Take it! I won't do anything with it!"

Cheesemaster sighed. "Fine, then..."

"But you have to spend it on food!"

"EDNA," he growled, "Not now."

"I also baked you a cake!" Said Cheese Woman excitedly. "Come see!"

 

Cheese Woman grabbed another white box, opened it, and inside was a medium-sized, white cake with a giant pink heart on it as well as the same Kanji letter. Only seven candles were in the cake.

"Seven, for seventeen," She explained. "Seventeen candles I felt was a little too many. I didn't want to risk burning your house," She said, giggling.

Cheesemaster leaned back in his seat, again brought from the kitchen, and looked out the window. "I wonder...where those two are..."

"Where...who two are?" Asked Edna.

Cheesemaster sat back up and looked at him. "Two scientist friends of mine...they're...probably busy."

Edna got angry at this statement. "Why are scientists ALWAYS busy? They can't even stay for your birthday!!"

He ran his fingers through Edna's hair and looked at him with a soft expression on his face. "Edna, you'll have to get used to it-remember, I wanna be an engineer someday."

Edna sighed. "But you'll still always have a lot of time to spend with me, right?"

"Of course," Shouted Cheese Woman. "Cheesie always makes a chore of visiting me! Even if it's late at night and he should be in bed, he drops by to say Hello to me."

Edna's eyes sparkled. "Mr. Cheesemaster, you are so good to your friends!"

Cheesemaster blushed and scratched his head. "Ugh...you people make such a big deal out of it...it's completely normal for me..."

"Not really..." Muttered MK. Cheesemaster looked over at her.

 

"What do you mean?" He asked, and she looked at the floor. "Eh, it's nothing. Just stuff that happened back home."

At that moment, Leguan and Alienfreak burst through the door of the house, with a small box under Leguan's arm. "Zo zorry! Ve're late!" He said, breathing in heavy gasps. "Ve got here via our steamboat!"

"You and your wife have a steamboat?" Said Edna, his eyes sparkling. Leguan's eyes grew wide, as did Alienfreak's, and the two went into another rousing repeating of "No", which was concluded by Leguan stammering "Zhe. Iss not. My wive."

Edna gasped. "I'm so sorry! I thought she was!" He said, looking at Alienfreak. He wrapped his arms around himself and shuddered. "I'm so sorry!" He said again. "I didn't know! I should have..."

Cheesemaster put his hand on Edna's back, and smiled sincerely at him. "You apologize far too much," He said, and Edna tried to seem happy, but he was still a little upset by jumping to conclusions.

Leguan and Alienfreak insisted on sitting on the floor-even after Cheese Woman said the floor was too busy, too which Edna objected saying it had just been cleaned-and Leguan took out a box out of his shirt-pocket (his vest pocket already had his watch in it-and nobody wants their watch scratched up), and Alienfreak took out a box, too, from the breast-pocket of her lab coat, which she was still wearing for some reason.

 

Cheesemaster took the two boxes from the two scientists and opened them up. Inside Leguan's box was a pocketwatch, and...something.

He excitedly picked up the watch, which was a very nice, expensive-looking object with a nice silver chain and a golden train on the front. He opened it up and it worked perfectly fine.

"Danke, Danke!" He said laughing, and looked at the other thing. It was a copper clip with two short, slender copper rods coming out and a lens on each rod. "What is this, though?"

Leguan walked over to him, gently took it out of his hands, and asked Cheesemaster for his glasses, which he reluctantly gave to him. Leguan clipped the object onto his glasses, and showed him what he had done.

 

"Iss two magnifying lenssess," He explained, "I gave vun to Amara as well."

Cheesemaster put his glasses back on and tried out the magnifying lens. "With this and those grappling hook suspenders...." He said, feeling so full of excitement he couldn't stand it, "I'm just plain awesome now! As if I wasn't already."

Edna giggled. "You could do a lot of things with that sort of stuff...measure stuff...or magnify stuff...and climb stuff...you could be a hero!"

"Perhaps..." He said, placing the pocketwatch in his shirt-pocket.

He took Alienfreak's box as well, and inside of that box were some cuff links just like Leguan's, tiny working clocks, and a couple clock parts. He gasped.

 

"These parts," He said, holding up on of the gears, "Is just what I've been needing!!"

He suddenly darted out of the room, and the group heard the sounds of clanking in the next room (the study, which was off-limits even to Edna) and he came back in with....what looked like a robot!

Edna gasped. Leguan and Alienfreak seemed excited. Cheese Woman and MK seemed indifferent.

"What is that?!" Asked Edna and the two scientists in unison. Cheesemaster set it on the ground.

"It a clock shaped like a robot," He explained. "It can move around, too. It's my very latest project."

The robot was made almost entirely of copper, and the various gears on the inside were visible as there was no cover on them, save for the area where the actual clock was.

"I haven't been so much into lately because I've been so busy..." He said, "But I've been wanting to get back to the way I was, taking parts out of other objects and creating new things."

Edna had the clock in his arms and was hugging it, trying not to shake the gears loose. "Mr. Cheesemaster, this is incredible! What else can you do?"

"I guess just about anything if I set my mind to it and have the right stuff to make it..."

"Vyou should vork vith uss on our airship," Suggest Leguan. "But, if vyou are zo interezted in doing this, maybe vyou would like some of ze spare bits I hafe on out boat?"

"Spare parts?" Said Cheesemaster excitedly, "Such as?"

Leguan thought for a moment. "I zink I hafe zome vatch parts, a monocle, an old keyhole, and zome bits of metal I'm not sure vat zey might be."

Cheesemaster nodded over and over. "Please, then, could I see them?"

Leguan nodded and went out to get them.

 

--------------------------------

 

One trip back to the steamboat later, and Leguan had come back with a handful of odd mechanical parts for Cheesemaster to do what he wanted with.

"We have plenty off parts back at ze house, it doezn't matter iff we give those to vyou," He said.

Cheesemaster's eyes sparkled. "Thanks so much, everyone," he said, looking at his friends.

 

After an hour, MK and Cheese Woman stated they needed to be going, so now it was only Cheesemaster, Edna, and the scientists, who sat in the armchairs.

"Vut really...I think vyou really should help uss in our project."

Cheesemaster looked at the two of them. "But..well, I'm busy, what with...what with my job, and Edna..."

Leguan thought for a moment.

"I...I understand. I juzt wish vyou could work vith uss. I think vyour mechanical skills vould help uss out very very much."

"I know, I know! But you see, I..." He suddenly glanced down at the small robot clock, and jumped out of his seat. "I need to work!" He said, dashing outside, followed by Edna.

 

Leguan sighed sadly. "Vell, do vyou vant to go home?"

Alienfreak said nothing, and the two trudged out of the house, only to run into Cheesemaster on his street corner selling papers, nearly knocking him down.

"L-Leguan?" He asked, turning around. "What is it?"

"Ve were about to leave, and..." He stared at the newspaper in Cheesemaster's hand. He was silent for a few moments, and murmured "Zeitungsjunge?..." "Vyou're the paperboy?"

Cheesemaster looked at the ground. "Uh, yea..." He said, and then he smiled. "I'm not ashamed of it. I kind of like it, even," He said, happily. "But where might you be going?"

"Ve vere about to go back home..."

"Oh, No! Please don't go now."

"Vut...if vyou don't vant to work on ze project..."

"Then why not bring the ship here so I can help you work on it in my free time?"

[Mushroom_king]

Leguan turned around and looked at him for a moment. "Vyou know...zat's not such a bad idea."

"But Leguan-" Stammered Alienfreak, "If...If we transport the ship all the way here, where are we going to put it? There's not even enough room on the ship for it..."

Leguan looked at her reassuringly. "Don't vorry so much. Ve can get it here, trust me!"

She looked at him in confusion, but decided he did know what he was doing.

 

The two were about to go back home to get the ship when they heard a loud crash behind them. Kat had run into Cheesemaster, knocking him, his newspapers, and the contents of his shirt pocket to the ground. His brand new pocketwatch did not travel far, but a small notebook did.

"Kat...what the #### are you doing?"

"I'm running from the purpleish-greenish Sugar Glider living inside an alternate dimension inside my microwave," She explained with a completely straight face.

Cheesemaster stacked up his newspapers, grabbed his pocket watch, and then looked around. "M-My notebook!" He gasped, looking around for it.

"Mr. Cheesemaster's notebook!" Shouted Edna, who was now frightened and looking around everywhere. "Where is it?! It's very important to him!!"

Leguan and Alienfreak joined the search for this notebook, which took them some time before Cheesemaster finally noticed his small, black notebook, covered in dirt from the ground and slathered in tape, staples, and oil stains. He was about to grab it when a black shoe fell upon it, and when he looked up, he saw it was, who else, Jakob Rabbitt.

 

"G-Get off my notebook!!" He muttered, but Jakob only ignored him, and picked up the notebook off the ground before Cheesemaster could grab it.

Jakob clutched the object in his hand and flipped through the pages. Cheesemaster stood up and tried to pry it out of his hands, but Jakob was too tall. His teeth gritted together as he read more of the notebook.

 

"Give that back!! That's private property!"

Jakob ignored him as he continued reading the book, and after several minutes of pleading, he shut the notebook and closed his eyes, gritting his teeth as his mouth twitched, and he opened his eyes and stared at it.

"Heathen," He whispered, to which Cheesemaster's eyes grew wide. Suddenly, Jakob began to walk off-with his notebook in hand.

 

"Where do you think you're going with my notebook?!" Shouted Cheesemaster as he chased Jakob and tried to pry his notebook out of his hands.

Jakob shoved Cheesemaster off, though he didn't knock him to the ground. "I'm going to burn it," He said nonchalantly.

Cheesemaster gasped. "You wouldn't!-"

"I would," He said. His voice was incredibly monotone, as was his expression.

"Give that back! It isn't yours to burn!"

"It's nothing but heathen writing," He muttered, flipping through the pages. "Science...Inventions...Why don't you spend your time doing something a bit more practical?" He said, his voice suddenly getting angrier.

Jakob was suddenly stopped by Leguan and Alienfreak, who blocked his path home.

 

"Give zat back!" Shouted Leguan, and Jakob laughed to himself. "Oh my, it's the Frenchman! Or was he Russian?"

"Deutschland, actually," He said, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, I couldn't tell by that accent of yours!" Said Jakob, as he laughed mockingly. He then looked over at Alienfreak. "And the Chemist. I can't believe they let a woman become one, their minds are far too delicate to be-"

A huge BONK was suddenly heard, and Jakob was flung to the ground. The notebook toppled out of his hand, and Cheesemaster swiped it off the ground as quickly as possible, and then leaned over his body, asking if he was alright.

 

"GET THE #### OFF OF ME," He shouted, quickly standing up and brushing his clothes. He looked around and then grabbed Cheesemaster by his shirt collar.

"You knocked me down, didn't you?!" He screamed, enraged. "DIDN'T YOU?!"

"N-No, Sir," Said Cheesemaster, trying to wriggle his way out of Jakob's grasp. He began stuttering and gasping for air, as Jakob began trying to one-handedly choke him.

"Y-You were struck from the side, and I was behind you this whole time."

"You liar," Whispered Jakob, before he was struck again, effectively dropping Cheesemaster and further confusing everyone.

Jakob spun around and looked at the scientists, and grabbed them both. "ONE OF YOU TWO," He yelled, "ONE OF YOU KEEPS ATTACKING ME."

"Vut, Mester Kaninchen-"

"SPEAK ENGLISH, YOU BLOODY FOOL!!!"

"Vut Mester Rabbitt, vyou were struck from de side again, from ze left-hand zide. Ve were on vyour right-hand zide."

Jakob cackled insanely. "Say that again. Your ridiculous accent makes it hard to understan-"

Again, Jakob was hit, from the front this time, so no one could be blamed. He was about to fall backwards when he was caught by Cheesemaster. When Jakob realized who caught him, he bolted backwards, his hands held in front of him as if in defense.

"I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME, NEWSIE," He yelled through gritted teeth.

"I only stopped your fall," Mumbled Cheesemaster. "Would you prefer your clothes had gotten dirty?"

"Hmph, like someone such as yourself would care if he got dirty or not."

Cheesemaster sighed and folded his arms, apparently ignoring him. "A good gentleman must always try to appear his best at all times, which includes his clothes being clean."

Jakob was genuinely astonished by this sudden statement, but had no time to react as he saw Edna out of the corner of his eye. His mind suddenly flashed back to when he had been sent flying across the room back at the Manor.

 

That **** orphan! He though, He has some freakish power...he must be the one hitting me! He then lunged for him, easily lifting him into the air.

"IT WAS YOU!! THE ONE HITTING ME!!! You're using your freak power to hit me, aren't you?!"

"Stop that!!!" Shouted Cheesemaster, running over and snatching Edna out of Jakob's firm grasp with no effort at all. Jakob, again, was genuinely surprised by this, as next to no one had ever torn something from his grasp before. "Edna isn't doing anything! Besides, it's not a 'freak power', it's PSI! Get it right!"

"PSI, Freak Powers, they're the same **** pagan powers."

"I'm not a Pagan! I was raised as a Christian by my orphanage!" shouted Edna.

Jakob chuckled meanly, while saying. "They obviously didn't do such a good job of it, eh? Besides, you're being raised by a heathen..."

 

Another blow struck Jakob. "STOP MAKING FUN OF HIM!!!!" Shouted Edna, who was extremely upset by now as Cheesemaster tried, and failed, to calm him down.

"See?!" Said Jakob, pointing accusingly at Edna as his eyes took on a crazed look. "When he got upset, I got attacked. It's completely obvious..."

"Now, Now, Jakob..." Came the soft, almost whisper-like voice of Dawn Rabbitt. In her hand was a small box, and by her side was Sterling. "I think you've have enough of harassing people for today."

"Dawn, what the hel..." He said, looking at the gift. His eyes blazed. "In the name of all that is Holy, Dawn, don't tell me that's for HIM," He said accusingly. 'Him', of course, was Cheesemaster.

"Today is his birthday, Jakob, and I'm his friend, so of course I got him a gift! Well, actually, me and Sterling both, with regards from James and Rick..."

"DON'T TELL ME that my brother and son have gotten friendly with him, as well."

Dawn nodded. "James has always been friends with Cheesemaster," She said, looking confused. "Besides, James sent some gifts too."

Jakob put his hand to his face and heaved. "My family is a bunch of dolts..." He muttered, to which Leguan just folded his arms and said, "No, zir, vyou're juzt incredibly ignorant."

Jakob began to walk away, but not without shoving Leguan and muttering "Speak. English. You bloody fool."

[Mushroom_king]

Jakob Rabbitt huffed as he ran back to his Mansion, as Leguan grit his teeth in anger.

"Zat man," He muttered, looking at Alienfreak, "Hass no rvright to be talking to vyou in such a manner."

"It's alright, OK? It's...it's nothing..."

"He's just stuck in an outdated state of mind," Said Cheesemaster, as he adjusted his glasses and happened to glance at the front of the newspaper he was carrying.

 

The headline was nothing particularly interesting, so he flipped through it a bit, and gasped.

"Leguan, Leguan! Alienfreak! Edna!! Come here!!!"

The two scientists and the chimney sweep rushed over to see what was the matter. Cheesemaster took the paper, folded part of it back, and showed them a large poster that took up an entire page:

 

"WANTED:

 

Kat Dacatis

 

ONE MILLION DIEMS

(One Billion H$)

FOR SYNDICATED CRIME, THEFT, ARSON, VANDALISM, UNDERAGE DRUNKENNESS, INTOXICATION, DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED, PIRACY, AND UNREGISTERED TIME TRAVEL"

 

In between the enormous "WANTED" and their friend's name was a photograph of Kat herself, with her monocle in her fingers waving it back and forth as she grasped her fedora.

"Kat is Wanted?!" He gasped, barely being able to keep his glasses on from the surprise. "For one billion Hamster Dollars! Not sure what Diems are."

"That's the currency of Usyooki, the country Kat is from on the planet Ribude." Explained Alienfreak. "But I had no idea...I-I knew she had a Mafia. But I didn't know they actually...you know, did anything."

Cheesemaster folded the paper back up. "I-I wonder if she even knows," He stuttered. He wasn't about to tell the three of them that he, too, was a member of the Kat Mafia.

 

------------------------------------

 

"Hello, my fellow Mafia!" Said Kat as she sat in the darkest room of the basement of the basement of the KatCave which was in the basement of Fried Dragon Palace. "We have a lot to do today!"

 

Kat then took roll, and everyone was there...save for Cheesemaster and The Grim Hamster Lord, though the latter had said he would be late for unknown reasons. But Cheesemaster had not said anything about an absence. This made her intensely curious.

 

Kat spun around in her spinny chair of doom, and then announced, "Where is the one made of cheese?"

The rest of the Mafia looked around and noticed for the first time that Cheesemaster was indeed missing. Whispers began to go around about where he could possibly be.

"He would warn Don if he was too busy to come..." Whispered Hamster Lover to MK, who was more worried then anyone.

 

It was then that the fax machine, which was still there (Kat had considered trashing it, but Arkcher's plan of Stick-Figure faxing worked so well she kept it), got a new message; Kat rolled her Spinny Chair of Doom over to the fax machine, and rolled back over, and placed the paper on the time; all that had come out of the machine was the exact Wanted Poster that had appeared in the Newspaper that morning

 

"WANTED:

 

Kat Dacatis

 

ONE MILLION DIEMS

(One Billion H$)

FOR SYNDICATED CRIME, THEFT, ARSON, VANDALISM, UNDERAGE DRUNKENNESS, INTOXICATION, DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED, PIRACY, AND UNREGISTERED TIME TRAVEL"

 

Kat was silent for a few moments, staring blankly at the poster as the others gasped. After what seemed like hours of no talking, Kat opened her mouth to say something.

 

"I don't remember ever stealing stuff."

 

The rest of the group fell to the floor. MK gulped and reminded her, "I think it's for when you forget to pay for your drinks at Planet Horatio," She mumbled.

"Ohhhhhh," Said Kat, and stared at the poster longer. "I don't remember ever having this picture taken, either."

"YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE EXCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WANTED FOR A BILLION H$!!!"

"Oh, that. I almost forgot. Yea, that kinda sucks. By the way, it was Cheesemaster who sent this to me."

"No wonder he didn't come today! He was to worried about being caught!" Said Mushroom, worried.

The only person who didn't seem worried was The Grim Hamster Lord; but then again, he was a wanted Man (Phoenix?) beforehand, so he was used to this sort of deal. But the others had never been Wanted for Money before-they'd just been considered ne'er-do-wells by the Police and Government, and a friend to most everyone; after all, only Kat and TGHL had ever publicly announced they were in the Mafia. TGHL touted his membership as a badge, while Kat had revealed herself...well, to put it simply, she had once had a giant sign over their Headquarters that said "Secret Mafia Meeting Place", and when the Police asked if she was in the Mafia, she bluntly said Yes. She had also posted on her Online Blog in very large letters "I AM IN THE MAFIA", and oftentimes shouted it in public. 100% of people believed she was just being silly, until her Mafia did the infamous Cookie Shoot-Out, and when the Stick Figures were faxed to the rival mafias in the area (there were rival mafias of little-known Invisionists and Native Invisionists); rumors say she had even ordered her Mafia to kill rivals. But Kat had never been the killing type, so these rumors are likely unfounded.

 

"What are we gonna do?!" Panicked Vixen, Wildcat, and Hamster Lover. They were certainly not prepared for this. Kat did nothing, while TGHL leaned back in his chair nonchalantly-or at least leaned back as well as a phoenix can.

"Uh...I don't know." Said Kat, to which the rest of them gasped at her.

"WE CAN'T SIT HERE DOING NOTHING," Said everyone.

"Yes we can," Said Grim. "When you become wanted by the government...that bounty's never goin' away-unless you suddenly stop."

 

The rest of them gasped. Kat laughed.

"THIS IS NO TIME TO BE LAUGHING!!!"

"This is awesome! Everyone is finally recognizing my genius and that I am not just a schizo!" She said, as her eye twitched. She raised her paws, which-for the first time the rest of them had ever seen-had the claws out, and she began to giggle like a madman; her giggles then graduated into a laugh, which erupted into a roar of insane laughter. And, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped. Everyone stared at her.

 

"Sorry, I had a moment there..." She muttered. "Now, onto business..."

 

-----------------------------------

 

Back at the Port of Cheese, Cheesemaster had gone to the Post Office and borrowed a spare fax machine so he could send the Wanted Poster to Kat. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be attending today's Mafia Meeting; it was far too dangerous, and he was far too frightened. When the others asked, he replied by saying he was worried for her safety; which he was, but he was, to a lesser extent, worried about himself and his well-being. Of course he showed no sign that he had been a member of her Mafia; other then that he attended the meetings almost always. Today was the first time he would be missing one.

 

He looked over at Leguan and Alienfreak, who both seemed surprised. Leguan folded his arms, smiled nervously, and said, "If zere iss anything ve can do to help vyour friend, ve'll be glad to do et."

Cheesemaster smiled back at him. "T-Thanks. I think all you can do for now, is that you two work on getting your ship here. We have to focus on what we were originally doing; besides, knowing Kat (and Grim) they'll work it out, the two of them," He said.

 

The four of them walked out of the Post Office, and Cheesemaster realized he and Edna needed to get back to work as quickly as possible; Cheesemaster went into the Paper Shop and bought another stack of papers, and Edna fetched his shoe polish and cloth, and they returned to the street corner and stoop where the two of them lived and worked. Leguan and Alienfreak sat down on a small ledge near Edna, resting before they left to retrieve their airship. The two scientists would talk among themselves occasionally, but Cheesemaster and Edna were too busy to say anything; that is, until Leguan shouted something to him.

 

"...Aren't vyou getting more people to try and find her by selling ze papers with her Wanted Poster in et?" He said. Alienfreak looked over at him, and Edna gasped. Cheesemaster turned around and smiled at them.

 

"I'm way ahead of you guys," He said. "I removed the poster from each paper. There weren't any articles on the pages, so I don't have to worry about-"

"HEY!!!" Came a voice, and a nameless Invisionist came up to him, holding the paper.

"I'll let you know that I counted every page of this paper! A page is missing!"

Cheesemaster did his best fake-confusion (which he was quite good at), and replied, "Really? Must be a print mistake. I didn't notice it at all. I don't read the paper."

"A newsboy who doesn't read the newspaper?"

"It happens."

The stranger gave a muffled "Whatever..." and walked away.

 

Time passed, and eventually Leguan and Alienfreak decided it was best to head back to their home island and get the airship, and bring it back to the Port of Cheese so Cheesemaster could help them build it.

"Ve should have et here by tomorrow," Said Leguan, as he and Alienfreak boarded a boat headed straight for the island Leguan. Cheesemaster and Edna decided to head home for the night.

 

------------------------------------------

 

"Alright, Edna! Tonight is a special night. I've whipped up a batch of my personal favorite food..."

He spun around and held a small tray with six odd white triangles with black rectangles on them, with a side of some noodles and chopsticks.

"ONIGIRI AND RAMEN!!!" He shouted, excited, and Edna gasped loudly. There was a long pause, and Edna said, "What's that?"

 

Cheesemaster nearly fell to the floor, and set out a tray for Edna, and then sat down with his own. "Rice Balls and Ramen Noodles," He explained, "Try it."

Edna fumbled with his chopsticks, becoming frustrated; he was only more enraged when he saw Cheesemaster holding his own chopsticks perfectly and was eating with them. Edna went back to trying; eventually, Cheesemaster glanced up at him, with a hopeless look on his face, and silently showed Edna the correct way to eat with them. He then sighed, as Edna still was not able to use them, and reached over for a fork.

 

"Thank you," Said Edna, as he dove right into it. He pointed to the rice balls; "I can eat these with my hands, right?"

Cheesemaster nodded.

The two were silent for a while, before Edna piped up, "So Mr. Leguan and Ms. Alienfreak aren't married?"

Cheesemaster shook his head. "And they really hate it when people think they are."

Edna sighed, and then popped his head up. "But they live in the same house and sleep in the same room!"

"Edna," Muttered Cheesemaster, "Don't say things like that."

"OK, fine..." He said, a tad reluctantly. "I understand."

"That's good," Said Cheesemaster, as he gathered up the two trays and set them in the dishwasher. "It's like me and Mushroom-"

"It isn't!" Yelled Edna. "Mr. Leguan and Miss Alienfreak aren't in love. But you're in love with Mrs. Mushroom."

Cheesemaster heaved. "Edna, what did I say about that?!" He said, turning his head around. Edna gasped-he had never seemed so angry in the entire time he had known him.

"E-Edna...For the last time. I'll tell you for the last time."

He turned and faced Edna, his head hung low and his eyes peering at Edna over the rims of his glasses. "I'm. Not. In Love. With Mushroom."

Edna whimpered. "Y-Yes, Sir!!" He said. Cheesemaster held his head up all the way; his eyes grew wide, as he watched Edna sit there, whimpering. He was scaring him.

 

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around himself, and his expression became more awkward and nervous. "E-Edna...I'm sorry if I scared you..." He said, sounding genuinely sorry. He adjusted his glasses, and decided it was best to go to bed. Edna got up and ran off without even so much as a good-night.

 

------------------------------------------

 

The next morning, Edna was unusually quiet during breakfast. Whenever Cheesemaster tried to talk to him, he did not nod, or even make any audible noise. This, obviously, greatly worried him-and Cheesemaster became upset eventually.

"I said I was sorry," He whispered as he took the plates and set them in the dishwasher to be cleaned. "I-I wasn't thinking very well..."

 

Edna looked up at him, his eyes covered by his curly hair and cap, but he said nothing. Cheesemaster thought for a moment. "How about this. Once Leguan brings his airship over, and once it gets finished, not only will he take you for a ride in it, but we can ride on the steam train as well."

Edna gasped, and his eyes returned to their normal sparkle. "You really mean it?!"

Cheesemaster rubbed his hair underneath the cap. "Of course I mean it," He giggled. "Now come on. We have to get to work."

Edna jumped out of his chair. "I'm sorry I got so scared."

"No, no. I should be saying I'm sorry. I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's OK," Said Edna, as the two walked outside and started to work.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Leguan and Alienfreak were on one of their steam-powered boats, though a different one this time as to make room for the airship as well as tools in which to work on the ship with. They had, with the help of some friends, lifted the object into the ship. Even though it was not a big airship, it was still too heavy for two people who were not very strong at all.

 

But they did eventually succeed in getting the airship aboard, and were finally able to set sail. They wanted to work on the airship while they were sailing, but being unable to, due to the waves which were stronger today, and they didn't want to even risk making a mistake. So they would only be able to wait until they got to town, so they decided it was best to chat.

 

"Amara, haff vyou ever been to the Port of Cheese before ve vent zis time?"

She shook her head. "No, I'd never been to a whole lot of other cities."

"Vell," Said Leguan, holding a book about the continent of Swissconsin, the country where the Port of Cheese was located, "From vat I hear, it's a town wery much like our own continent a zentury or two ago! From vat I hear, they still uze steam trainss and ewerysing! And I hear zat ewery zo often, vyou cen zee de Rabbitt family in their carriage on ze vay to ze Opera."

Alienfreak gasped. "My God! That is amazing!"

"Ze other cities, from vat I hear, are just as amazing."

"Perhaps we could take the train to those other cities!"

Leguan nodded. "Perhaps."

 

--------------------------------

 

At the Port of Cheese, Cheesemaster and Edna had just begun to work when Cheesemaster noticed a box on the stoop. He recognized it as the present Dawn had had yesterday; he took it back inside so he could open it a bit later. He rolled out a paper to hold and put the rest in a stack next to him, per usual. He was surprised to see no Wanted Poster in today's edition when he flipped through. Today's headline was instead focused on how Shirley Locke hadn't yet caught Vlad Tepes, but had found another vampire who may have helped, and had defeated him. Well, it was different.

 

Cheesemaster clutched the pocketwatch and notebook in his breast pocket. He couldn't risk having it stolen by Jakob again. He wondered when Leguan and Alienfreak were going to get to town. Soon, hopefully...

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster!" Cried Edna from behind. He sounded like he was crying, so Cheesemaster turned around and saw Edna looking into a big pot of soil that sat outside. They had no idea who it belonged to and only assumed it belonged to a neighbor or a business.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he walked over. Edna pointed to a small pink object in the pot. "A baby birdie is in the pot..."

Cheesemaster adjusted his glasses and looked; indeed, it was a baby bird. He saw around the fragments of a white shell. He frowned sadly, and looked up on the rooftops. "It must have fallen out of its nest..." He said quietly. He leaned down, grabbed some soil, and rubbed it over the baby bird. Edna's eyes began to well up.

"I'll bet his mommy is wondering where he went," He sobbed, and Cheesemaster patted his back. "There, there, now. It's all better. I buried him in the soil." He smiled at Edna, though he still had sadness in his eyes. "It's OK now."

 

The moment was thankfully ended when they heard someone shouting from farther away. The two turned around to see Leguan and Alienfreak running towards them.

"Look, there they are now!"

And so they were-Leguan and Alienfreak ran over to them, and Cheesemaster stood back up, folding the paper underneath his arm. The two scientists were out of breath.

"Ve have ze airship," Said Leguan proudly, "Et is on ze boat."

Cheesemaster looked happy, and then he explained to Leguan about the steam train in the town. The two became very excited about it.

"A steam train?!" Exclaimed Alienfreak, "By Joe! A real steam-powered train, the way it should be!"

Cheesemaster nodded, and Leguan began to speak when they were suddenly interrupted by someone screaming, "DID SOMEONE SAY SPRAY-ON PANCAKES?!"

Guess who it was. Come on, Guess.

 

Kat Dacatis had arrived on the scene, surprising Leguan and Alienfreak (who may or may not have ever met her before), and Leguan again began to speak.

"So vyou zee, um...I vas thinking-"

Kat screamed. "A MAN WITH A GERMAN ACCENT!!! I'M TERRIFIED OF MEN WITH GERMAN ACCENTS! GO BACK TO RUSSIA!!!" She said, and was about to assume the fetal position when she suddenly remembered why she came over there in the first place.

"So, uh, where's the Spray-On Pancakes?"

Cheesemaster seemed confused. "There are none," He said timidly. Kat began to have a tantrum. "WHAT?! You're kidding, right?! They have spray-on Viagra, which has been doing wonders for my hair by the way, but NO SPRAY ON PANCAKES?!"

Cheesemaster shook his head.

"Not even spray-on waffles or bacon?"

He shook his head. Kat sighed, and her ears fell flat on her head.

"At least I still have bacon-flavored dental floss," She moaned-she sounded genuinely upset. Cheesemaster patted her on the back.

 

"It's OK," He said reassuringly, "Maybe me, Arkcher, and these two can help with your breakfast predicament."

Kat shook her head. "Only Willy Wonka could make Spray-On Breakfast," She whimpered.

Edna giggled. "Maybe if you find a Golden Ticket, you can ask him to make it for you."

Kat grinned in triumph. "Yes! Yes! I'll be Violet Beauregaurde! Cheesemaster can be Charlie Bucket!"

"Are you suggesting I'm poor?" Said an offended-sounding Cheesemaster.

"No. But I am suggesting that Willy Wonka can help me make spray-on breakfast, just like he made Cheese People."

Cheesemaster's glasses nearly tumbled off his face at this. "You think Willy Wonka made me?!"

She nodded. "He was British, right? Only the British could make something like a Cheese Person and be serious about it. That's why they're British. To make weird friggin comedy sketches and try to take over the world. And solve puzzles."

Alienfreak clutched her head. "All these pop culture references are giving me a headache," She moaned. Cheesemaster, showing concern (for a good gentleman must ALWAYS help a lady, or anyone else, should they be feeling unwell in any way.), but she kept saying she was alright.

 

Kat sighed. "Well, seeing as there's no Spray-On Bacon or waffles or pancakes here, I might as well leave. But before I do I'm going to go into your house and use your restroom," She announced to the world. After being wished good luck, she went inside Cheesemaster's house.

 

--------------------------------------

 

"WORTHLESS BEING!!!!" Shouted an enormous, horned beast covered in flame and blood, "WHAT BRINGS YOU TO MY LAIR?"

Kat glanced up at the monster. "I was on my way to the bathroom and I got lost."

The monster seemed confused. "YOU ENDED UP IN THE 10TH LEVEL OF H--- WHILE IN YOUR OWN HOUSE?"

"My friend's house, actually. But this didn't happen because it was my friend's house. Just last week I was on my way to the kitchen to get myself a snack, I got lost, and I somehow entered another dimension. Another time, I was in my laundry room looking for my lost sock, when I learned that Narnia exists in my Dryer. Or this other time when...Say, H--- doesn't happen to have a bathroom, does it?"

The demon shook its head. "NO. IT IS H---, AFTER ALL."

 

---------------------------------------

 

"I wonder what's taking her so long?" Said a concerned Cheesemaster. Leguan and Alienfreak had decided to work on the ship while they waited for Cheesemaster's break.

 

Edna shrugged his shoulders, and Cheesemaster sighed. "She probably got lost. I knew I should have drawn her a map. There's a little spot in the kitchen where Time and Space don't exist, she needs to watch out for it." He said very nonchalantly. He suddenly wondered what was inside the box Dawn had given him-and he decided that it might be good to visit the Rabbitts later, to properly thank her, and also because Edna had said he wanted to play with Rick and Sterling.

 

The hours passed slowly, as he was very bored; but he was extremely happy when the break time finally rolled around, and went inside to grab the box, gathered Edna, and ran as fast as he could towards the harbor.

 

---------------------------------------

 

"Leguan! Alienfreak!" Shouted Cheesemaster once he found the steamboat. He knew it was Leguan's by the copper exterior, visible gears and clockwork, and pipes emitting steam, and went inside.

 

"I'm here," He shouted, with Edna repeating him right after. "We're here to help you out!!"

Leguan appeared, covered in grease, stains, and burns. "Oh, zalutationss! Iss about time vyou showed up. Follow me," He said, motioning for the boys to follow him. They did so, and were lead into a medium-sized room where the airship was located and Alienfreak, whose lab coat was even more stained then Leguan's clothing. Cheesemaster became mildly worried, as Leguan's clothes were quite fancy, but Leguan assured him that he had at least eight other bottle-green vests and pants, cream-colored shirts, and boots. Cheesemaster himself became very worried suddenly about the state of his clothing, causing Edna to giggle.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster, a few months back, you didn't mind if you got ashes on your coat! Why are you so worried now?"

"Because ashes are black and my coat was black."

"But the airplane's oil is brown and your coat and shorts are brown! Socks, too." Stated Edna.

"But my sweater is blue," He said, grabbing the edges and extending it so he could look. "And my shirt underneath is white, which is even more susceptible to getting stains on it."

"Vell zen! Amara has a brown shirt should vyou need et."

Alienfreak looked up at the mention of her name. "All my clothes are too big, if you're worried about wearing a woman's clothes."

Cheesemaster decided it was best, as he didn't want his favorite sweater stained.

 

----------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster came back from a changing-room on the ship wearing his brown shorts, a neat shirt the color of oil. It matched his shorts and suspenders and hat. Alienfreak looked at him curiously.

 

"What, is brown your favorite color or something?" She asked. he shook his head. "Blue, actually. But too much blue is far too eye-catching, and due to the nature of my, er..."

"Your being made of cheese," Said Alienfreak.

He nodded. "That attracts enough attention as is."

 

It was then that Kat showed up, even though she didn't even need to be there. Cheesemaster looked at her, confused, and asked her, "What took you so long?"

Kat stared at him. "I was on my way to the bathroom when I stepped into the Tenth Level of H---."

There was a long silence.

"Does this happen...um, often?" Asked Alienfreak. Kat nodded yes, and by chance laid her eyes on Leguan, and screamed.

"AHHHHH!!! THE SCARY RUSSIAN FRENCHMAN!!!" She yelled as she ran out of the ship.

 

Leguan huffed. "Deutschland, actually..." He murmured.

[Mushroom_king]

Leguan shrugged off this nationality mix-up and decided the three of them should get to work.

"But what of Edna?" Asked Cheesemaster-he had been saying that frequently lately, as he examined the airship. Edna walked up just beside him, and looked at him with big eyes. "I could use my PSI to send things up when you're working."

Leguan gasped. "Zat iss exactly vat vyou can do!"

Edna jumped for joy. "Yay! I can help!"

Cheesemaster rubbed Edna's head, and then started to climb the airship so he could work on it.

 

The craft was spherical, with two large portholes on either side-Leguan planned for the widows to become larger or smaller for passenger comfort-with a room inside. It was too have seats that could draw back into the craft for free exploration inside. There were to be at least three rooms-the passenger area, which had two large, comfortable areas for two passengers, a lavatory, and a cargo area. The passenger seats were just big enough and spaced out enough to be used as beds.

Coming out of the top of the copper sphere were, of course, plenty of pipes where the steam would come out of. A few lamps were on top of it-some were to be gas lamps, some were to be steam lamps, and one emergency lamp was to be electric. A large steel pole came out of the top where a sail existed-just in case they wanted it. The craft was meant to be able to fly without sails, but Leguan had insisted.

 

Cheesemaster was now on the very top of the craft, being instructed by Leguan and Alienfreak on what was to be done. The above description had been taken from Leguan's blueprint of the finished craft.

"Ve still haff to make ze pole, and install some of ze lamps," He explained. "Vyou vuld be great for doing zat."

Cheesemaster nodded, and after Edna gave him some tools and the lamps and machinery and got to work, while Alienfreak continued to work on the sail, and Leguan worked on the interior, getting the seats and lavatory ready and in working condition.

 

The trio worked for many hours, with Edna occasionally using his PSI to weld things (with PSI Fire), or sending up snacks, until Cheesemaster exclaimed that he would have to get back to work. Leguan and Alienfreak were, of course, very upset by this.

 

"Are vyou sure vyou can't stay lettle vile longer?" Asked Leguan as he sat on top of the craft.

"I'm definitely sure not," Said Cheesemaster, after having changed back into his white shirt, sweater, and coat. "But, before I leave, I want to open this present Dawn gave to me."

 

He sat down, and Edna trudged over to him, barely keeping himself up. He realized what a tire it had been for him to be using his PSI so much for the past few hours.

Edna fell to the ground, and Cheesemaster ran over in concern; He knew that Edna had exerted too much brainpower.

 

He should have known this would happen-Edna was unable to say no when Cheesemaster asked him to do something. He wanted to smack himself. Leguan and Alienfreak jumped down from the craft, and Alienfreak picked the child up and cradled him.

"I'm a doctor, you know," She said almost pompously. "He needs some rest. Looks like you'll have to work your shoe-shine stand as well."

"N-No," Stammered Edna weakly. "I-I can do it on my own..."

"No, vyou can't," muttered Leguan, examining him. He smiled assuringly at Cheesemaster. "Ve'll take good care of him."

 

Cheesemaster felt comforted by this fact, and sat down to open the box as the scientists took Edna to go rest on one of the beds of the boat.

 

Inside of the box, there contained...objects, and a slip of paper. Among the objects were a telescope, a few more magnifying lenses, a sampling of coloured lenses (green, red, blue, yellow, brown, and a blackish shade probably used in sunglasses). He picked up the slip of paper, and read it, finally clearing up why this stuff was inside the box.

 

Written on the paper, in neat, cursive handwriting and dark purple ink, was this:

 

"Cheesie,

 

I know that recently you've taken a liking to taking old things and building new things out of them. How very cool! It's very much like how Arkcher does his inventing, though he-well, he invents things, you just build your own versions of existing things. But either of those things is quite a talent.

 

Anyhow, Sterling & I rummaged through our junk drawer and thought these things would look very cool on your glasses. Unfortunately when we arrived we saw someone had already given you some magnifying lenses. Maybe you can use ours as spares.

 

Farewell for now,

 

Dawn Rabbitt"

 

Written below in messy cursive writing was "Sterling Rabbitt".

 

Cheesemaster smiled, but knew he would have to wait until tonight to do any work; however, he was very, very excited about it.

 

--------------------------------------

 

"I hope Mr. Cheesemaster liked the stuff we gave him," Said a worried-sounding Sterling as she walked down the great hallways of the Rabbitt Manor with Dawn, "After all it was just junk from the junk drawer."

Dawn grinned at Sterling and picked her up. "Cheesie's a funny guy, Sterling. He loves to stay up at night working on a project-kind of like Arkcher, who refuses to sleep until he finishes an invention."

"But that's impractical!" Interrupted Sterling. "If he's tired, he can't work as well!"

"But they don't get tired," Said Dawn, "It's funny. After Arkcher finished Clean machine, from what Mushroom tells me he slept for a week."

Sterling laughed.

"Edna tells me that sometimes he wakes up in the morning to find Cheesie in bed, with a flashlight in one hand and a book in the other, his glasses still on, from staying up in bed all night reading."

Sterling laughed. "That's odd."

"Not in my opinion," Frowned Dawn. "Well, I at least hope he comes by to show us what he makes of the things we gave him."

 

---------------------------------------

 

Later that night, Leguan invited Cheesemaster back over to his floating home-away-from-home to continue helping with the craft. Cheesemaster was happy-he enjoyed working on the craft very much-but he was also sad, as he would not be able to work with the new things Dawn and Sterling had given him. He decided that perhaps he could work with them at Leguan's house-he would have the proper tools to use, after all-and boxed up the objects, and then headed over to the boat.

 

"Good evening, Leguan, Alienfreak," He said politely once he got there. "I hope Edna is alright."

Leguan smiled. "He iss fine, don't vyou be vorrying about him," He said reassuringly. "He iss stil rezting though. Ve'll haff to get out things by ourzelves zis time."

"Well, it's good to know he is alright."

Leguan eyed the box Cheesemaster had with him. "Vat's zat?"

Cheesemaster glanced at the box. "Oh, this? This is what Dawn got me for my birthday. A bunch of found objects for me to do whatever I want with."

Leguan's eyes sparkled, and Alienfreak's probably did too, though you couldn't tell because of her headgear, as she did seem quite excited.

"Let uss zee!!" Cried Leguan, and Cheesemaster opened up the box, showing the coloured lenses, the telescope, the extra magnifying lenses, as well as other things-there were also bands of leather that would make good goggle straps. But Cheesemaster couldn't wear goggles, due to his nearsightedness-and even if someone did make him a special pair of goggles with the good lenses and all, goggles were far too bulky for him. He preferred glasses.

 

"Vyou could somehow make it so vyour spectacles could fit all of zese," Suggested Leguan.

Cheesemaster laughed, but in a way so Leguan would not think he was teasing him. "I dunno how I'd attach a telescope to my glasses."

"Vell, if vyou don't use any of zis, I'd be glad to use et," Said Leguan. "Come on zen, ve've got work to do. Ve're almost done."

 

And almost done, they were; for by the time the clock struck 20:00 (as the region of Leguan as well as the Port of Cheese used Military time, as to be more comforting to the large amount of people whose countries or planets used military time standards), the ship looked like it was ready to fly.

Leguan and Alienfreak were exhausted, but they refused to show it; the two of them were up and jumping in excitement. Their first flight would be tomorrow.

"Hopefully Edna will be alright by then," Said Cheesemaster, worried. He slumped down on the ground, until Leguan picked him up.

"Vat are vyou being so wery mopey about?! Zis is a time to be celebrating!!"

And with that, He ran over to the miniature fridge that was on the ship, and pulled out an armful of beers with foreign labels.

Cheesemaster waved his hands in protest. "L-Leguan, I'm too young-"

"No, no, zese are for us. Ve veren't sure vat you may hev vanted for a drink."

Cheesemaster thought for a moment. "A cup of tea would be nice..."

"You got it!" Said Alienfreak finally, running over and into the boat's small kitchen. Leguan dragged over another seat for Cheesemaster to sit in, as well as a table so they could examine the various objects Dawn had found and given to him.

 

Leguan lifted his goggles up from over his eyes to up on his head, and Cheesemaster carefully dumped out the objects.

"Two lenses each of blue, yellow, red, brown, black, and green, four pairs of magnifying lenses, clips, rods, leather straps, a telescope, and teh rest of it looks like it needs to be thrown away," Announced Cheesemaster.

Leguan examined their loot. "Vell, vat do vyou vant to keep?" He asked finally.

 

Cheesemaster, too, examined the objects. He picked up the telescope. "This would be neat to have on my glasses," He said, "But it'd be kind of bulky-"

"Not a problem," Said Leguan excitedly. "Fell how light et es."

Cheesemaster nodded. "It is, but-"

"I'll use it, zen."

"But I already said I'd like to have something neat like this on my glasses."

"Vut vyou have the magnifying glasses. Iss about as much vyou cen put on vyour glasses without zem falling of vyour face."

"And that's something that's already a problem with me," Said Cheesemaster, as he pushed the glasses up his face.

"Vell, let's put it aside zo ve cen think about et," Decided Leguan. He then arranged the coloured lenses in a row. "How avout zese?"

Cheesemaster picked up a red lens and looked through it. He then took off his glasses and placed two of them over his eyes.

"Not sure I can use these, unless I had them modified so I could put them in my glasses. Besides, it would be kind of a pain to switch 'em out."

"Zen I'll have zem," Said Leguan. He took off his glasses, popped out the clear lenses, and put in the red lenses. He blinked and looked around.

 

"Vow, iss like being a robot," he said, and then tested the rest of the lenses before switching back to clear. "Very nice," He said triumphantly.

"And finally, these," Said Cheesemaster, as he took the magnifying lenses. "I already have some, so you can have those." He said, tapping the clipped-on magnifying lenses Leguan had made for him.

"Vell, vell, zen! Zat saves me the trouble of heving to make zome for myzelf. Danke, danke!"

 

Leguan took out the rods and clips, and within a matter of moments had a brand-new set of clip-on magnifiers attached to his own set of goggles.

"You should get a laser system hooked up into your goggles, too, Leguan," Said Alienfreak, coming back with a tray that had a teapot and cup on it, and set it down on the coffee-table next to the beers.

"Thank you," Said Cheesemaster, taking it and drinking it. Alienfreak peeked over to see what the boys had been doing while she was in the kitchen.

"Oh, is that the stuff that girl gave you yesterday as a present?" She asked. Cheesemaster nodded.

"He's alvready given zu to me," Said Leguan, tapping his magnifying lenses and colored lenses (which were in his shirt-pocket).

"I think I'll go ahead and take the telescope. After all-" he said, taking another drink of his tea, and then adjusting his glasses, "Any good gentleman accepts the gifts he is given."

"How wise," Said Alienfreak, popping open a beer and drinking it.

 

Leguan stared at Cheesemaster for a long time, making him very uneasy.

After a long time, Cheesemaster leaned a few inches backward in his seat, and stuttered, "W-What is it?"

Leguan placed his fist under his chin, and moved his head to the other side. "Vyou know, Amara, he is a great deal more respectable-looking zen any certain snobby rich zexist prozcutors could ever hope to be," He said blankly.

"J-Jakob, you mean?" Cheesemaster stammered again. He looked embarrassed but sounded flattered.

Leguan nodded.

"Vyou act a great deal more respectable zen him, too," Said Leguan. Alienfreak nodded in agreement, and then added,

"Well, it's not really that difficult to be more respectable then Jakob Rabbitt."

Leguan laughed, and then popped open a beer of his own and started to drink. "In fact, he iss quite a bit more respectable zen mozt people I haff met."

Cheesemaster had already been blushing, but now his glasses were fogging up-something that only happened when he was REALLY embarrassed. "Stop it, you two...when my glasses fog up like this they get hard to clean."

"Zen take zem off."

Cheesemaster did so, and made sure to hold onto them. He couldn't see worth anything without them on-even nearby objects were rather difficult to see-and he took out his handkerchief and started to clean the fog off of them.

 

"Vy do vyou wear zose anyvey?" Questioned Leguan, who had finished his first beer and was beginning his second one.

"Because I can't see well without them."

Leguan let out a half-sigh, half-giggle. "No, no, zat iss not vat I meant."

Alienfreak giggled. "He's nearsighted-" She said, and turning to Cheesemaster, "Aren't you?"

He nodded, and then his eyes went wide. "How did you know that?"

She smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile. "I would say I was stalking you and I found it out from your optical reports, but I'd be lying. I found out by the way the lenses are curved."

"How wery obzervant," Muttered Leguan.

 

----------------------------------------

 

The night passed with Cheesemaster having drank his cup of tea, Alienfreak having drank about two beers, and Leguan about four. It was the most either of the scientists had ever drank in their lives-usually they only had about one, two for Leguan. But this had been a special occasion, so they drank more than usual. But not as much as Kat ever drank.

 

Even so, Leguan woke up that morning with a hangover, and became incredibly worried that this along with Edna being tired (though he should be well know, he thought after his mind woke up) might postpone today's maiden voyage of their airship. He called Kat, who was still in town, and borrowed some of her hangover pills (she hadn't needed them for some time due to her body having become used to the frequent drinking, so she gave the whole bottle to Leguan should this ever happen again-he doubted it), and as thanks, he invited her to also come along for a ride in the ship and later come with them onto the train to another town (They decided they would go to Hindenburg, a town to the Southeast of The Port), a prospect she was quite excited about.

 

Edna woke up in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar room with copper-looking walls; upon closer inspection, they were, indeed, copper walls. He didn't remember much-just having helped the scientists and Mr. Cheesemaster, using his PSI to lift up tools to them when they were up on top of the airship they were making, and carrying a box to Mr. Cheesemaster, and then fainting. He wasn't home, he knew.

 

Cheesemaster woke up on the couch in Leguan's airship. He put on his glasses right away (the glasses now had the telescope in a detachable format-he'd stayed up for an hour modifying it so it wasn't too heavy on his spectacles), and was relieved to find out the telescope and magnifiers together were still light enough for his glasses to be wearable and not too heavy. He rose out of bed, brushed his hair and teeth, and put on his suspenders and cap (oh, and shoes too) and went into the kitchen of the boat, where he found Alienfreak and Leguan. Leguan was the one cooking (The two of them took turns). Edna stumbled in as well, and he and Cheesemaster exchanged a long hug and a round of "I'm so glad you're OK"s before sitting down to talk with Alienfreak about the plans for the day.

"Vell, I invited vour friend Kat to come along wiff us ven we ride the craft, and ven ve go to ze city Hindenburg," He announced.

"That'll make it interesting," Mumbled Alienfreak. "Anyhow, I checked the ship this morning to make sure it's OK for take-off. How and where are we going to fly it?"

 

Everyone thought for a moment before Cheesemaster suggested the large field near The Rabbitt Manor. It was large, wide, and smooth too-not a whole lot of hills to crash into. Though they would have to be wary of The Rabbitt Manor. Everyone decided this was a good idea.

 

--------------------------------------

 

The group rode the boat out to the beach area near the Rabbitt Manor, so that taking the craft out would not attract as much attention from Townfolk, as well as having less distance to have to carry it. Leguan and Alienfreak, with help from Cheesemaster ("Our small friend vill haff to abstain from helping uss today," Said Leguan when Edna asked to help too), until they had it in the middle of the field. They gently dropped it on the ground, and Leguan and Alienfreak decided to test it first. The two of them would fly the craft to make sure it was safe, and then Leguan would take Cheesemaster and Edna along for a ride. (Edna was just small enough that he could break the three-person limit.)

 

Leguan put his goggles over his eyes, and warned the boys to stay back; Cheesemaster and Edna complied, and sat on the grass far enough so they would be safe, but just close enough for them to watch the craft.

 

But they weren't the only ones watching the craft-a certain snobby rich British sexist prosecutor was also watching the craft about to take off from the windows of the large, scary-looking mansion nearby.

 

 

And he was most certainly not pleased.

 

 

 

 

 

[hmm. looks like I've been reading too much Douglas Adams and Stephen King stuff lately, because when I read this chapter it reminds me of their books.]

[Mushroom_king]

Indeed, Jakob Rabbitt had happened to be walking by one of the windows of his Mansion when he happened to glance outside and saw the craft sitting in the field, with some of his least favorite Invisionists surrounding it. Jakob at that moment deeply regretted having not ever purchased the field as a part of his land; if he had, he could file a restraining order and could have kept them off of the field. But the field belong 'to everybody' and thus he could do nothing.

 

Though he continued to think of ways he could possibly hinder their flight, or maybe even send the two idiotic scientists spinning to the ground, and in the best-case scenario, send them hurtling to their deaths. The **** German and the **** woman chemist. Who did they think they were?

 

Jakob started to giggle like a lunatic at the thought of the craft landing on the orphan and the newsie and killing all four in a smoky, flaming wreck. But his mind snapped back to reality, and he reminded himself-no more sadistic thoughts, he said, but he couldn't help grinning. He went off in search of his gun collection.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Leguan and Alienfreak comfortably situated themselves inside of the craft, when Alienfreak suddenly asked what the name of the ship was anyhow.

 

"Et's name es 'Ze fantasztec wonderful copper-steamed-clockwork glory of ze skies over Invision," He said, trying to say it in one breath.

Alienfreak giggled. "Well, we'll be needing a lot of paint to paint that name on the side of it."

Leguan laughed as he started up the steam engines. Cheesemaster and Edna watched in awe as the propellers started to spin, the sail on top started waving (though it was folded up), and steam started to hiss and spew out of the pipes. The wheels of the craft started to spin, and it rode along the grass (quite smoothly, surprisingly), and the two of them gasped audibly when it did finally take off.

 

Edna, especially, was in incredible awe at the ship lifting off and successfully flying. Cheesemaster felt proud that he had helped to make the ship successful quicker than the scientists had predicted it would be finished. And Edna could barely wait for his own ride in the craft.

 

But the happy scene was suddenly cut short when the two of them heard a loud CRACK from across the field-a CRACK that sounded like a gun firing.

"What was that?! What's going on?!" Shouted Cheesemaster, suddenly getting up. Another gunshot was heard, and he realized that whoever it was, they were shooting at the airship!

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster, I think it's Jakob Rabbitt!!" Shouted Edna, and the two began running towards the Rabbitt Manor.

Just then, another gunshot was heard, but this time it was disturbingly close. Another one, and Cheesemaster felt the ZING of the bullet fly right past his face.

 

"Now someone is firing at us!" He shouted, ducking down. "This is too dangerous. Edna, you're short enough to hide in the grass. Run up to the Mansion and see what's going on over there."

"But Mr. Cheesemaster-"

"Go on, I'll go stay here and make sure the craft doesn't go down, and if it does, I'll run over and try to make sure Leguan and Alienfreak are safe."

 

Inside of the craft itself, there was severe panic as Leguan had climbed out of his seat, and was busily unloading the cannons that he had placed in the craft for defensive purposes.

"Leguan, somebody is shooting at us!" shouted Alienfreak, and Leguan shouted "I KNOW!!!" back to her. He put his goggles down over his eyes once again, and started to try and land the craft in a safe place.

"Ve musn't fire back at zem," Said Leguan, though the worry in his voice was apparent. He continued to nimbly dodge the bullets that were coming after them.

"The ship is readily defended, right?"

Leguan shouted back a Yes. "Ze walls are reinforced zo dey will have to take many many shots juzt to be shot down. Vut ve still musn't let any bullets hit et."

 

Edna had finally crawled up to the steps of the Rabbitt Manor, and upon looking up, he could see Jakob Rabbitt leaning out of a window with his musket. Edna knew that he might get tired if he used too much PSI, but he would have to try anyway.

 

Edna concentrated, and then whispered "PK Coils!", sure that Jakob wouldn't hear him above the bullets being fired.

A large coil (not visible-possibly made of heat, though the true nature of the attack has been lost to history) then sprang up, and knocked the musket out of Jakob's hands. He began to look around frantically for what in the world could have caused it to do so; Edna, who had been hiding in the grass, was nowhere to be seen, so he assumed that Leguan and Alienfreak were firing back at him. He leaped out of his window ("Like a Bunny rabbit jumping out of something," thought Edna), and ran so quickly over to the aircraft which had safely landed ("Like a bunny rabbit running away from a foxie, doggy, kitty, or person," thought Edna) in the grass and began to run over to the craft.

 

Cheesemaster of course saw this, and once Jakob was a safe distance away he ran over to Leguan, and motioned for Edna to do the same. He made little to no sound whatsoever-for Cheesemaster, when he had been training with his katana, had learned to be very stealthy-yet he still found the presence of a certain Jakob Rabbitt behind him just as he was about to be in the safe range of the craft. Edna, who had just then gotten to Cheesemaster's side, was picked up by the collar by Jakob, as was Cheesemaster, and Edna began to fidget in his grasp.

 

"But we-Me and Mr. Cheesemaster-we were-we were so quiet-we didn't make a sound-" stuttered Edna.

"Quit stammering," said Jakob sadistically. "You sound like the **** fool you are."

"Let me down, then, and tell us how on Invision you found us! We were hiding and silent!"

"Grammar, Edna," Murmured Cheesemaster.

Jakob threw the boys to the ground and drew his sword from his cane, pointing it at their throats as to keep them from getting away.

"As I have told you before," He said, glaring down at them, his top hat casting shadow over his eyes, "They say I have the most hare-like senses...or should I say, a Rabbit?"

Cheesemaster sat up, and Edna followed suite, clinging close to him; he tried to concentrate on PSI so he could knock the sword out of Jakob's grasp, but he was too scared not just of the present situation, but of the possibility of any of them getting hurt if he dropped it. It was a rare incident that when trying to move an object with PSI, or trying to control an elemental power, the power would go manic and possibly go flying off in an unintended direction. He did not want to risk this happening.

 

Jakob grinned at them, and then laughed, putting his sword away. "If you'll excuse me," He said, turning his heel and walking away, "I have some uninvited guests to dispose of."

"This isn't even your property!" Shouted Cheesemaster, but Jakob said nothing.

 

Leguan and Alienfreak climbed out of the craft; Leguan swiftly ran around, checking for damage, and was relieved to find none. He heaved a sigh showing his relief, but his relief was short-for Jakob Rabbitt came stomping up to the two scientists, and as he had with Cheesemaster and Edna, drew his blade and held them both at sword-point.

 

"I thought I very well told both of you heathens never to come near my house or myself ever again?" He said, his eyes narrowing as he frowned. Many people who knew Jakob knew this look well-the narrow eyes, the hat tipped slightly over his eyes, which were full of hate.

"This isn't your property, though-I thought?" Said Alienfreak, who stood close to Leguan in fright.

 

Jakob smiled sadistically. Foreigners. You could lie to them.

"As a matter of fact," He said, his voice growing higher as his eyes grew more diluted and the insanity and sadistic gleam in his eyes grew. "I do own this property."

Leguan stared at Jakob, questioningly. "Vut, our young friends zed dat vyou did not! And zeeing as he lives here, I believe he vould know."

Jakob giggled. "I believe your young friend lied to you-"

"He vould never lie!" screamed Leguan. "Vyou know vat et es he zays; a good gentleman never, ever, EVER lies, now vould he?"

Jakob scoffed. "Oh my! More of that talk about what a good gentleman does. Because a newsie and an orphan would definitely know something about that sort of thing."

"He knows more than you!" Shouted Alienfreak. Jakob's head tilted in a sickeningly slow way, and his eyes became dangerous-looking. He gritted his teeth.

She folded her arms. "A real gentleman would be okay with a female chemist!"

"Shut up!" He screamed, and was about to strike her with his blade when he tripped. Leguan screamed in worry as the sword flew over by the craft, and in a state of not knowing what to do, and only doing what first came to mind, he stuck his leg in its path.

 

The sword hit Leguan quite hard just below his knee, though it didn't stick as it was not the tip. That didn't make it any less painful; the blade tore open his bottle-green pants, and soon a stream of blood was trickling down, and a small stream of it split away and started to go down his pants, and again over his boots and onto the ground, soon forming a puddle. He clutched the wound in agony, and Alienfreak went over to him, one eye on Jakob to see what in the world had happened, and one eye on Leguan as she bandaged up the wound using bandages and cloth wrap from the aircraft's first-aid kit.

 

What HAD happened, was this: a strange knot of grass had appeared, and tied itself around Jakob's shoes, quite muddying his fancy black shoes. It quite reminded Alienfreak of a similar incident that had happened many years ago, when she had recently met Leguan; the last time the bullies made fun of her was when, one day, they began to tease Leguan as well, when suddenly the grass grew and wrapped around their bodies.

 

The bullies accused Leguan of dabbling in witchcraft, but they never did make fun of them ever again-at least not to their faces.

 

Back in the present time, however, she was utterly confused; what had happened? She had little time to think, however, as Jakob stood up, and was stark raving mad-in the sense of anger, that is. Of course. But his desire to hurt due to his anger was postponed, for the grass continued to grow and wrap around his body, until his body was completely unable to move, but his body was still able to breathe. And breathe he did-very heavily, not only because the grass had him bound and tied to the ground (quite like Gulliver's Travels...though Jakob didn't know this, as he was not quite the well-read man), but it was also dirtying up his clothing, and his top hat had already fallen off his head. It, too, had been bound to the ground as well-probaby in case it was a living, sentient hat, but seeing how wary Jakob was of technology, what were the odds of something like that happening?

 

After his wound had been bandaged up, Leguan sat up, clutching his knee. Alienfreak looked in amazement at Jakob's tied up body.

"How the #### did that happen?" She managed to muster. "How in the world did..."

"HOW DID THESE PLANTS TIE UP MY BODY LIKE THIS?!" Roared Jakob, as he tried to break his way out of the plants. They snapped easily, of course, but when he did more grass would come and tie him up-in fact, the more he broke, the more grass came to tie him down. Soon enough the grass having been tied around his body was so thick you could not see his clothing underneath.

 

Jakob grunted, as he tried to escape or possibly scratch an itch (what a horrible thing it would be, to be tied up so you cannot move and then you have an itch to scratch!), but he could not.

 

"This grass is soiling my beautiful, beautiful clothing!!!" He shouted angrily, "I shall not look presentable one bit!!"

It was at this time that Cheesemaster and Edna, after having heard all the screams and yells, had run all the way across the field to see what was going on. Edna gasped when he saw how tied up Jakob was. Jakob glared at him.

"Did you do this to me, you god**** orphan? Did you use your freak power to tie me up like this?!"

"I didn't even know you were over here," Stammered Edna, hiding behind Cheesemaster. "I don't quite have the strength to."

Jakob grunted again, and Edna quietly began to cry. "This is the worst day ever! I thought we would have a nice flight in the aircraft, and you had to ruin it!!" He said, as he wiped his eyes, suddenly quit crying, and glared at Jakob.

"Now, now, Edna-"

"No! It's all because he was shooting at Mr. Leguan and Ms. Amara!"

"Please don't call me that-" Started Alienfreak.

"You had to ruin our perfectly fine day! This field isn't even yours!"

"But it does border my property-" Started Jakob.

"I don't care! If it borders, that doesn't count! It only counts if you own it yourself! But knowing how greedy you are you'll probably want to buy this field anyway and keep all the kids in town like me from playing here!!!"

"EDNA," Shouted Cheesemaster, putting a hand on the boy's head, "Behave yourself. Expressing your anger is OK, but you must do it in a civilized manner."

Edna sniffled, but didn't cry. He took Jakob's tied up body and hat, unlatched it from the grass that kept him tied down to the ground, and was about to throw him back towards his house when Cheesemaster picked him up and quietly took him over.

 

Jakob was not quite so quiet, for the entire way there he screamed and shouted about how he refused to be treated as an object, and how he refused to have his clothes dirtied in this way (by Cheesemaster as well as the grass).

 

----------------------------------------------

 

Edna was only calmed when Leguan told him that the craft was still in good condition and that it was now time for their ride in it. However, inside he was still mildly upset, but getting a ride in the airship made him feel much better; even Leguan seemed to have already recovered from his leg wound.

 

After Edna went for a few rides in the aircraft, the group decided it was best to call Kat, make sure she was ready for the train ride, which they decided to go on tomorrow. Cheesemaster, however, became worried about his job.

 

"Who's going to be selling the paper tomorrow while I'm gone?" He wondered later that night, when all of them (plus Kat) went to the local bar, a place frequented by pirates, sailors, and other types who would sail in from the Invision Ocean, for drinks to celebrate the first flight of the Fantastic Wonderful Copper-Steamed Clockwork Glory of The Skies over Invision. Kat of course was rather upset when she realized that other bars did not carry the unique drinks Planet Horatio did, so she ended up having to have the bartenders make her a jig from scratch. Eventually the bartender memorized the process for making Jigs and even made a whole big batch of it so he wouldn't have to keep making it throughout the night.

 

The next day the five of them boarded the Steam Train Dampf, headed for the city of Hindenburg, a city to the south of the country Swissconsin that was powered mostly by steam and gas-power. Leguan and Alienfreak were beyond excited to see the steam-train, and Leguan especially when he saw the train's name was 'Steam'. The five climbed up into the train, and went over to one of the shaky passenger cars and went to a wide booth with room for four, but again, Edna was small enough to fit in with the others.

 

The train ride was going to be about five or six hours, so the five of them brought things along with them to entertain them: Leguan and Alienfreak had brought along some blueprints for their next project (another airship that could hold much more passengers then this one they had just finished-Leguan suggested they took a break to keep flying the new ship for both fun and for research on how to make better flying machines. Alienfreak hoped they could have a flight across the ocean once it was safe enough to do so.

 

Cheesemaster had brought along a book to read, and quietly asked for the others to not disturb him. Edna had brought along paper and pencil to draw the scenery, but preferred to just look. Kat slept after the long night of drinking.

 

After about two hours, Leguan and Alienfreak got up to go explore the train, and to go get snacks for everyone. This allowed for Kat to nap in their seats, and for Edna to have a little more room.

 

------------------------------------------

 

Four hours had passed, though it did not seem as though they were getting much nearer to their destination; and the trip was only lengthened when the train suddenly SCREECHED to a halt. Cheesemaster's glasses fell off of his face as he fell forward, just managing to keep his place in his book, and was thankful that his glasses landed on Kat's soft fur and not, say, her shoulder armor. He retrieved them, and before he could say "What the #### was that?!" Leguan and Alienfreak had come running back to them to pick up any trash from their snacks. They had planned to tell of anything interesting they had encountered on their second tour of the train, but instead came with odd news.

 

"A man jumped in front of the car to commit suicide," Murmured Alienfreak. "They're cleaning up the remains."

Kat got up, yawned, and managed to mutter before going back to sleep: "Why the frack would they do that? The remains will go away if the train runs over it enough..."

Cheesemaster wanted to tell her not to talk of such morbid things in front of Edna, but not only was it pointless as Kat fell asleep right away, and besides, Edna was friends with the Rabbitt family (most of them, at least), one of the most morbid group of people Cheesemaster had ever met.

 

So the group was stranded for five more hours, and Cheesemaster became worried since they would have to stay in Hindenburg for a day more than planned.

 

Later that night the group was sitting, sleeping in the car of the train, and Edna laughed-just like at home, Cheesemaster had stayed up too late reading and had fallen asleep.

 

Edna stood up, whispering and making slight movement as not to disturb anyone else. He took the book out of his hand and looked at the cover. He couldn't read big chapter books like this one very well, but he could read the cover: the book was medium-sized and by someone called Richard Adams; a big rabbit was pictured on the front. Watership Down, said the cover. He giggled, thinking of Richard Rabbitt. He wondered if Rick had read this book. He fumbled around in his pockets, looking for a bookmark, and after an unsuccessful search he dog-eared the pages. He then looked up at Cheesemaster's peaceful-looking, bespectacled face, and was about to go to sleep himself...

 

Bespectacled!

He almost laughed out loud, but stopped himself and instead laughed to himself. He reached up-he had to climb up on the table to do it-and gently took off his glasses. He climbed back down, and just before going to sleep himself, he tried them on. They barely fit on his face, and he more than likely looked like a fool in them-but no matter, because he couldn't see a thing through them anyway.

 

Edna placed the glasses up on the table, and drifted off to sleep-as best as one can when on a shaky, hissing train.

[Horatio]

[ Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! This is fantastic and I appreciate you continuing. ]

[Mushroom_king]

The next morning Cheesemaster woke up, and at first panicked when his glasses were not on his face; for he clearly remembered having had them on when he fell asleep. But then Edna reassured him and showed him that they were on the table.

 

"Silly, you always take off your glasses before you sleep." Said Edna, laughing. Cheesemaster smiled at him, and saw that they were still about five hours away from Hindenburg, and the train would be making a short stop in the city of Longdon, so the previous train driver could rest and a new one could take over, among other various unimportant reasons.

 

The train slowly came to a stop, and Leguan and Alienfreak said they would be going out to take more looks at the train's outside, and possibly to view the workers putting more coal into the train. Kat was still asleep. Cheesemaster and Edna decided to explore town, as they had never been to Longdon before.

 

Longdon was a very small, bleak town to the south-west of the Port of Cheese. To the South-East of Longdon was Hindenburg.

 

The town of Longdon was a place neither of the boys had been to before, but from the looks of it they were not sure if it was a good thing. Yes, a new town you have never been to is always a good thing, but the town looked-it looked spooky, especially for Edna, who clung to Cheesemaster.

 

The majority of the houses in Longdon were either black or red. The sky above them was very grey, which they did not recall seeing when they had been on the train that morning. The air was dead, and the noise was few; the buildings were mostly boarded up, but you could see the tags and pictures made with spray-paint. Cheesemaster loved to look at the graffiti, but he didn't have time to look at it-nor did he want to, as much of it was far too inappropriate for young Edna.

 

Every so often the boys would hear a muffled noise or sound coming from inside a building; Edna swore he saw eyes in the windows.

 

"Edna, I think this town may be abandoned," Cheesemaster whispered, in the way one whispers when in a very quiet place because you do not want to disturb the silence.

Edna stifled a nervous giggle, and said, "This is the loudest silence I've ever heard."

 

The boys continued to walk, and the evidence that the town was abandoned began to decrease, as they saw that some of the stores and restaurants were open; they all had names like "Raven's Nest", "The Abyss", and "Ebony" (a piano shop).

The boys began to see a few bodies and faces in the windows of these stores, and realized the town must be waking up.

 

"I don't think so," Said Edna, after the boys stopped and saw a woman in a black vinyl jumpsuit turn her store sign from "Open" to "Closed".

Cheesemaster wondered what exactly was going on in Longdon, but had little time to think, as he heard a familiar female voice from nearby.

 

"Well, if it isn't four-eyes and No-Parents", said The Blood Queen; Cheesemaster's head cocked to the side, and he looked at her.

Dana was sitting in a dark purple and red Hearse, with an older-looking boy sitting next to her.

"Four-Eyes?!" Shouted Cheesemaster, breaking the awful silence.

"No-Parents?" Moped Edna.

"**** it Dana-" He shouted.

"Don't call me Dana!" She said mockingly, her facing twisting into a sour look.

"Don't make fun of my eyesight and I won't, Dana!!"

Suddenly, the boy/man (he looked like he was perhaps reaching his twenties) jumped out of his seat and jumped onto the back part of the Hearse. His appearance shocked Cheesemaster and nearly made Edna jump.

 

The man was tall, and impossibly thin-unhealthily thin. His blondish-greyish hair was fraying and fell in tatters over the man's grey, lifeless eyes, one of which was far, far larger then the other, as was the eyebrow above the bigger eye. His mouth was twisted into a sadistic smile. He wore a long, white coat, covered in brown stains-which, if you took the time to examine, you would find are the stains of embalming fluid. His lapel read "S.M. MORGUE" as did the back of his coat, which read the phrase in enormous black letters. He wore small sunglasses that teetered on the edges of his hooked nose.

 

"Come on, babe-don't make fun of him for his specs. Might as well tease me too," He said, not looking at Dana once. He leaned his head down, and glared at Cheesemaser. "But look, kiddo. Don't call my babe 'Dana' ever again. Got that? It ****** her off big time. And she gets pretty nasty when she's *****."

Cheesemaster nodded; he was not afraid of either of them.

"If you'll pardon my asking-" said Cheesemaster, and sensed in the man's eyes that behind them he was laughing at his formal tone, "-Who are you?"

The man moved his tongue around his teeth. "Dan Deep," He said, "Dan 'Dead' Deep. But never call me Dan, got that kiddo?"

"Don't call me kiddo," Said Cheesemaster, "I'm a legal adult next year."

Dead Deep (as he preferred to be called) let out a single "Heh," His expressions barely moving.

"I'm Queenie's boyfriend-" He said, as she grabbed for his hand, and Dana interjected "He became my sanity so we'd never leave each other's side."

"Then where was he the other times I've see you, Blood Queen?" He said, cringing at her nickname.

Dead Deep blinked. "As a sanity, I can go into that jellyfish form and curl up in Queenie's psyche when I'm gettin' tired," He said. "'Course I don't get tired the way you living folk do."

"Living folk-? What-?"

"Know why I worked at a morgue back at home in SummerMeadows?" He said, SummerMeadows being the city Dana (as well as Vanilla and other friends) had gone to Magic School.

 

Edna moved in closer to Cheesemaster.

 

Dead Deep cocked his head so his large eye was the only one looking at the boys. He moved his tongue over his teeth and lips, and in a stereotypical zombie movie voice, he groaned "....Brraaaaaaaaains."

Cheesemaster took a step back, and Edna whimpered.

Dead Deep moved his head so he was facing the boys frontward again. "Delicious. I especially love the ones of you big brainy types. Full of nutrients. I could cheat in school just by eating the brain of one big-brained honor student, or a professor," He said. "If I went to school."

Cheesemaster narrowed his eyes. "Well my brain is made of cheese. You can't eat it."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Muttered Dana.

"Cheese? Haven't had that since....in years," He said, trying to remember when he last had a big block of cheese. His gaze turned back to Cheesemaster.

"That's too bad. I was kind of looking forward to eating the big brain of the gentlemanly engineer," He said, disappointed. His gaze then fell upon Edna.

 

"A child? Well, look at 'im, Queenie...he's absolutely terrified." He muttered, and Dana looked. She smirked. "That's just Edna," She said, and then she added, in a sadistic, cruel way as she stroked Dead Deep's thin arm, "He's a psychic."

Dead Deep let a muffled "Hrm?" and glared at Edna again from above the rims of his sunglasses. He smiled a wide smile that caused Edna to whimper.

 

"Ha!" He shouted, as he climbed out of the back of the Hearse. He glared at Edna with his one larger eye. "A psychic, huh?" He said again. "What a rarity!" He said, and moved his tongue over his teeth again. His expression said 'What a delicacy!'.

"They're the ones that use their brains, kinda like magic, right, except it ain't?" He asked Dana. Cheesemaster and Edna noticed for the first time that he spoke as though he were from Brooklyn-and wondered if an area that produced similar accents existed on Dreamtopia.

 

Dead Deep spoke with his girlfriend for some time, but were suddenly stopped when the boys heard Leguan and Alienfreak calling them.

 

"Vat are vyou two doing?!" Shouted Leguan, the two scientists running up next to the boys, taking no notice of Dead Deep, who was still sitting on top of the Hearse and was beginning to salivate as he looked at Alienfreak, wearing her lab coat, and Leguan, with his specially outfitted goggles.

 

"Vat are vyou doing out here?!" Shouted Leguan again, "Don't vyou realize vat a dangerous town zis iss?!"

"Well, we-we were just going to explore-"

"Haff vyou not heard anyfing about ze city of Longdon?!"

Cheesemaster tried to listen to Leguan, but he couldn't help noticing Dead Deep out of the corner of his eye, whose own eyes were growing wilder by the second, and his mouth was beginning to foam over-

 

A horrifying scream was let out-two by the scientists in fear, and one by Dead Deep, the kind you make when you are letting out an emotion you have kept bottled up for so long. He leaped over, and pinned both scientists to the ground. His larger eye twitched, and his mouth began to foam over even more; a look of disgust, mixed with panic and fear, got onto the scientists faces as he began to salivate all over them. The entire scene was panicky as Dana tried to lift Dead Deep off of the scientists, and Edna was crying.

 

Eventually Dana heaved Dead Deep off of them. Leguan had blood trickling down his scalp from where Dead Deep had attempted to eat into his head. He stood up, and Alienfreak clutched him. Both were whimpering.

"Z-Zee, zis is v-vhy ve s-shouldn't hef stopped en ziz town..."

Dead Deep's sunglasses were teetering on the edge of his nose, as Dana spoke to him in a firm, punishing voice.

 

"Look, Dead...if you want brains so bad I'll take you to the T-Virus Cafe and you can eat there. I'll even spend the extra money so they bring out a live scientist for you to tear into."

Dead Deep slowly but surely stopped foaming at the mouth. "Fine, Queenie, but-"

She wouldn't stand for the buts, so she picked up Dead Deep and threw him into the Hearse. He was quite thin, possibly even as thin as Edna, and so even Dana could pick him up easily.

 

The scientists lectured the boys on being safe in such a town as Longdon, and told them what they had already come to figure out-That Longdon was a city of all kinds of nasty monsters, including all the regular stuff-Vampires, Werewolves, elemental beasts, and as they already knew, Zombies and Succubi.

 

----------------------------------------------

 

The four of them finally got back onto the train just as it was about to leave them behind, and after calming down Edna, Cheesemaster decided to get back into his reading. They would be in Hindenburg within about an hour, so the group decided to pack up most of their things they had gotten out, save for Cheesemaster's book, which could fit in his coat pocket anyway.

 

The other four (Kat had finally woken up) spent the rest of the trip gazing out the window at the passing scenery.

 

------------------------------------------------

 

An hour later, the five found themselves in the Hindenburg train station, a building that very much made them feel as though the train had in fact been a time machine.

 

The ceiling was quite high up, and the roof of the train station was domed. The sky outside was grey and foggy, but rays of sunlight peaked through the clouds here and there. The people walking about in the station all looked like people who would have populated New York or London in the early 1900's, though you occasionally saw someone dressed in 19th Century attire as well-and indeed, there are some differences.

 

Leguan and Alienfreak were both ecstatic, and could hardly contain their excitement. The events back in Longdon were long forgotten now, despite the bandages on both of their heads were Dead Deep had bitten them.

 

"Zis-zis is my dream land!!" Shouted Leguan, getting odd looks from some passerby.

"I can't wait to see what the rest of town is like!!!" Shouted Alienfreak, just as excited as her partner.

Kat looked around. "Sure are a lot of other people with fedoras and monocles. They copied me!"

The scientists grabbed their suitcases, and dragged them along as the five of them made their way down the station and into the town of Hindenburg.

[Horatio]

[ Awesome continuation!!!!!! Thanks MK!!! ]

[Mushroom_king]

[F'REAL AWESOME REFERENCES IN THIS CHAPTER. believe it.]

 

The group walked outside into the streets of Hindenburg, it was already past Noon and the sun was beginning to set; Leguan was throughly excited and politely asked if they could stay and watch the gas-lamps be lighted.

 

"We can't really do that," said Cheesemaster, who was clutching Kat's collar so she wouldn't attack anyone, particularly any families in their carriages (Kat was confusing them for Amish, aka her heroes, for she liked their beards and hats), and had to have Alienfreak explain to her that they were NOT Amish folks.

 

"I wonder why the Rabbitts don't live here?" Wondered Alienfreak aloud, and then she suddenly gasped. "My God, Leguan, I just thought-"

"Vat?" He said, and she motioned for him to lean in closer, and she whispered to him, "Is it socially acceptable for me and Kat to be dressed like this?"

Leguan thought for a long time. "Kat von't mind, though zat doesn't make it acceptable to ze people here. I vill talk to her. Vyou may vant to vear a skirt."

"OK, I brought one just in case...I'll just button up my coat for now..."

 

After that, Leguan and Cheesemaster got the group going again so they could get to their hotel, while also thinking as to why the Rabbitts didn't live here. It was a reasonable question-after all, the story they came from was set in this very time period. Yet they preferred to live in The Port of Cheese, which was more of a mix between their time and the modern time.

 

But as much as this confused them, They would have to wait until their vacation was over to ask the Rabbitt family.

Cheesemaster kneeled, and the others followed (after Leguan gave a small lecture about how the people of this town had remained unchanged for many years, and the ladies would have to be careful. It wasn't as thought the women had no rights in the town, it was more socially acceptable if they were the clothing of the times), they asked Edna what he wanted to do.

 

"I sink ve should all take turns deziding vat to do," Suggested Leguan.

"Well, if we're going to do that, then I believe Alienfreak and Kat should pick first."

"Vell, I vas going to go by age, but zat es fine too."

"I'm the youngest woman," Said Kat, "And I want to go to a freak show."

Cheesemaster's brow furrowed. "Well-I...'m not sure if I approve of those-"

"Shut your stupid mouth, it's fun," Said Kat accusingly. "And you better not ruin it by scientifically explaining the various conditions each of the freaks have. I'm talking to all three of you scientist-types, with your big words and complicated theories. GOD!!!"

The scientists laughed, and then searched out to see if there even were any side-shows in town.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

There was; in fact, a whole tent-full of 'em. Genuine specimens from the city of Longdon, they claimed. Cheesemaster looked on in disapproval.

"For all we know, the Longdonians were taken against their will to preform here," He said. "Like slaves."

"Shut up," Snapped Kat.

"If they're from Longdon, that means they are indeed genuine," Commented Alienfreak. "Usually these sorts of shows are full of fakes."

"Thing is-" Said Cheesemaster, tipping his hat down to his face and pulling his gloves out of his newspaper bag, "I'm afraid of the way Kat and I may be treated here."

Leguan thought for a moment, and then looked over at Kat. "Kat, vyou may vant to tuck vyour ears under vyour hat, and vyour tail inside your clothes."

Kat's ear twitched. "Now why the fork would I want to do that?"

"And Cheesemazter, vyou may juzt vant to vear your gloves like zat, and pozzibly vyour scarf if vyou heff et."

"I do," He said. "I'm glad I wore pants instead of shorts."

"Vell, let's go en, vready or not."

 

The five of them payed for their tickets and went on inside, where they were allowed to gawk at all the human oddities they wanted to; however, unlike most of the other customers, they treated it more as a learning experience. At least, everyone but Kat.

 

"Seems a lot of these are anthros-" Said Alienfreak after glancing at a few. "But still interesting. Cat and Dog anthros have bored me," She said, as she examined a few anthros of octopi, spiders, and Unearthly animals she had never before seen.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster, come look at this-" Shouted Edna, and he came over to see what he was yelling about.

"My Goodness," Said Cheesemaster, grinning, "Why, I've never seen an anthropomorphic object before," He said, as the two looked at a man who seemed as though he was part broom. Kat laughed, but Cheesemaster got angry with her and gave her a good punishment.

 

They finally got to the end of the long hall, that had different oddities displayed either live or in dead, stuffed bodies (How frightfully awful, they thought), and at the end of the hall was a performance room; in here, the freaks, the live ones, would be coming out to show off some of their special abilities.

 

"Why not make an interactive version of these?!" Kat suddenly suggested. "Then I could join in without actually joining in."

 

The five of them sat down and waited for the show to start, and it did before long. They were all disappointed to see most of the performers were just magicians who used their magic in funny ways-such as fire or ice breathing, or transforming parts of themselves into an element, an ability they hadn't seen much. Leguan was upset to find they were the only five clapping at their talents.

 

The show was actually quite a bit darker then they imagined; some of the people showcased in the performance included anthros of dangerous animals, werewolves, many vampires, and others. Cheesemaster hoped Dawn would never have to be a part of this show; and then he wondered what Jakob would think. Jakob did consider Dawn a freak of nature, but he'd more than likely be livid if she joined this sort of act.

 

Finally, the Performance Room grew quiet as an old-timey show voice came on, announcing their newest addition to their selection of freaks-a Chimera, their first, and it had Human in the blend of animals. The five of them waited in awe, and then were shocked to find what it really was:

 

A young boy, possibly about the same age as MK; he wore thick glasses, had the ears of a Panda (and the same eye marks), the tail of a Ferret, Quills on his back like a porcupine, and from what his act displayed, he also had the color-change powers of a Chameleon and could spin webs (and walk) like that of a spider.

 

All of five of them were awed and excited at him, and cheered and clapped-but then stopped when someone threw an object at the boy; a fruit. A few people gasped; mostly regulars who came to the show often. The group didn't know it, but visitors didn't usually throw things at the freaks.

 

The boy shoved the fruit off of his clothes ("Decidedly normal considering most of the freaks wore body suits," Observed Alienfreak), but you could see rage in his eyes. Then another food object hit him, staining his clothes this time, he wiped it off, but did not continue performing like last time. He stood there, just...stood there.

 

Suddenly, a shoe hit him square in the face; he didn't fall backwards, and at first the group thought he was alright; but then they heard the tinkle of glass falling to the floor, and Cheesemaster gasped in incredible horror.

 

One lens of the boy's glasses had been shattered.

 

Cheesemaster looked in horror, but also with sympathy; he knew how the boy felt, people gawking at him like that, and then smashing up his glasses with no regard for how he felt. He stood up and looked behind him-his own bespectacled eyes full of rage.

 

He knew he shouldn't be getting so upset; he'd promised not to. He'd made it his New Year Resolution not to get angry anymore. But this made him forget all of that.

 

"Who threw that at him?!" He shouted, and a feeble young child, not much older than Edna, stood up.

Cheesemaster glared at him. "How could you do that to him?! Shattering his-His spectacles like that, it's like you took out one of his eyes!"

The child said nothing.

"I would know because I've had mine broken too!"

Cheesemaster was about to say more, but was interrupted by a horrid roar and a terrified scream, the first sound he heard emitted from the child, as the Chimeric Freak had charged up into the stands and was now attacking the child with giant, Walrus-like Tusks; these of course made him look even MORE ridiculous then his other Chimeric qualities had, so people laughed at him; that is, until he attacked them as well.

 

Everyone ran screaming out of the room, save for the five-after all, they had defended him and cheered for him, so he had no reason to attack them.

 

Soon enough, it was just them and the boy, who looked at them with glaring eyes. They did not act their fear; for they knew it would upset him. Cheesemaster put his hand inside of his newspaper bag and slowly climbed the seats up to him.

 

Once he had walked over to him, Cheesemaster reached into his bag, and grabbed another, smaller plastic bag; out of it he pulled a lens.

 

"Your glasses-" He stammered, not daring to reach for the boy's own glasses, "I don't know if you-if you've got the same condition as me-"

The boy snatched the lens out of his hands, turned around, and then turned back around with the new lenses in his specs. He said nothing; Cheesemaster smiled at him.

 

"My-my young friend over there-" He said, and pointed towards Edna, "He enjoyed the show the most."

The boy said nothing.

 

Cheesemaster motioned towards Kat, who was about to reveal her ears and tail, when suddenly some of the employees of the show came in, and handcuffed the boy, causing him to scream and shout.

"No! You musn't do that-!" Shouted Cheesemaster, but it was hopeless; they had already taken him away.

 

The performance hall was silent, and outside they could hear the rush of terrified guests being shoved outside; a major health hazard, and the group did not doubt that a person might be injured in the crowd crush.

 

Suddenly, Edna whimpered. "What if they give that poor boy a shot that kills him?" He said, and he tried very hard not to cry. Leguan picked him up, and Edna put his head on his vest, which was hand-made by Leguan and very soft.

 

"Don't worry, Edna," said Kat; "At least you're not on fire. Trust me, I know. I was on fire once. I lost all my friends because they died of third-degree burns when they hugged me, and I lost all my belongings because they would catch on fire when I used them. But then I got better, and realized the joys of not being on fire." She said, and did a pose. "But I still enjoy the occasional game of Fire Tag, where me and some buddies throw alcohol over each other and throw matches. But don't take my word for it; life is much better when you're not on fire. I'm clean now, but sometimes I go to sleep, thinking everything is fine-"

 

Suddenly, there was a roar from the next room they recognized as the scream of the boy, and then a piece of the ten tore away, and the group looked in terror as flames began to lick the ceiling.

"GOD **** IT, I'VE BEEN CLEAN FOR FIVE MONTHS WITH NOT EVEN ONE GAME OF FIRE TAG AND THIS HAPPENS TO ME?!" Screamed Kat, and Edna jumped down, and began to focus.

 

"Hold on, I know a water PSI power!" He said, but Cheesemaster grabbed his arm anyway, and ran faster than Edna had ever seen him before. The scientists picked up Kat, who was still rabbling on about Not Being on Fire and the joys it brings, ran into the hallway where the freaks were displayed; and there they saw a horrifying sight.

 

The freaks were still in their respective cages where one looked at them, screaming for help.

 

The employees had not let them out.

 

Cheesemaster looked on in rage, and then sent Edna down. He leaned down to look Edna straight in the eye, but not before yelling at the scientists to get themselves and Kat OUT. They did so, and then Cheesemaster took Edna's shoulders, and Edna saw possibly the saddest and most frightened look he had ever seen in his friend's eyes, as the flames behind Edna reflected in his glasses.

 

"Edna, we'll need to get these people out. You need to try that water power of yours. Don't under any circumstance try Ice or Wind. I'm counting on you."

Edna understood the urgency of the situation, and agreed. Cheesemaster stood up, unsheathed his Katana, and began breaking open the bars of the cages; Edna was amazed, but had no time to be. He quickly tried to focus himself, despite the noise around him.

 

PK Bubbles!

 

Edna whispered it to himself, and soon, large watery bubbles appeared and popped around the flames, doing little to change it. Cheesemaster looked behind him at Edna in desperation as he hurried the freaks out.

 

Edna whimpered and tried something else. He didn't know any more water attacks; he would have to try though.

 

PK Wave!

 

That was the ticket; a large wave (an ocean wave luckily, for a sound wave or earthquake would have been completely useless and possibly only have caused more damage), and the water from the wave quickly put out the fires.

 

Cheesemaster stood there, his katana back in the holder, hands on knees, panting. He looked up at Edna and smiled at him, and in between breaths, he said, "Thank you, Edna. You saved those people's lives."

Edna looked at him sincerely. "No, you saved them; you freed them from the cages. They were being held there like prisoners."

 

The two of them walked out of the tent, to an enormous crowd of people; he found many people taking photographs of him with their primitive, 19th-Century Cameras, and was surprised at it. The boys got compliments on how they had put out the fire; of course, no compliments on how they saved the freaks from anyone except their friends.

 

Suddenly, Edna remembered, and he tried to shout above the noise,

"Where is that freak that attacked the people?" He said, cringing at the word 'Freak'.

A voice answered, "Should be round the tent!" And the boys ran off; Kat then stood in their place and gave a lengthy speech on the Pros of Not Being on Fire, and an account of how Not Being on Fire saved her life from spiraling into misery.

 

------------------------------------------

 

The boys ran around, and found, to their surprise, no employees; they assumed they had all gone round front to get people to stand back from the fire so none would be injured. They looked around for a sign of the boy.

 

"Hello? Anyone back here?" Shouted Edna, and finally got the reply of, "No one but me."

 

They looked to where the voice came from, and there was the boy-a cigarette hanging limply out of his mouth, leaning on one leg. He almost reminded the boys of Dead Deep.

 

"Oh, it's you-we were looking for you." Said Edna, smiling. The boy muttered "Hmph."

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm angry."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

Cheesemaster then stepped forward, removed his gloves and scarf, and revealed his cheesy body to the boy, who gasped.

 

"What happened to you?!"

"I-I was made this way," Said Cheesemaster-he sounded as though he had been fumbling for the answer.

The boy took a drag on the cigarette. "Look, I-I appreciate what you did today. I didn't expect people to cheer me on."

"It's OK. We actually came here as a learning experience."

The boy said nothing for a while, but then said, "I'm known as Edgar Allen King. Or Eddie Allen King."

Cheesemaster cocked his head. "That's a very nice name. Mine's Cheesemaster, and this is-"

"Charles Cornelius Edna, believe it or not, Or Edna."

Cheesemaster giggled. "I really do like your name."

"Yours is weird."

He giggled again.

 

The boys sat down on the ground, with Edgar putting out his cigarette in the dirt.

"I'm trying to quit, you know."

Cheesemaster nodded.

"That must seem strange, a kid as young as me smoking?"

He shook his head. "I know two other smokers-granted, they're old enough to smoke..."

"Roger and Shirley," Said Edna, "Though I wouldn't be surprised if Dead Deep smoked too. It doesn't hurt him 'cause he's dead."

"I knew Dead Deep, back in Longdon. We would hang out at The Raven's Nest-that's the pool hall-and next door was Salem's Lot, that's the bar. There were a lot of stoners there. Eventually the two buildings got bought-the lady owning the Pool Hall and the dude owning the bar got married, or something-and the two building got connected. Kept the names though."

"Considering your name it's quite ironic you'd choose those places to hang out at," Said Cheesemaster.

"I get that a lot," Breathed Edgar. "Dead would be there with that crazy *****-Diana-"

"Dana," Corrected Edna.

"Dana. The succubus. Everyone was always saying they wanted to get her rocks off with her, but she was psychotic, even by Longdon standards. Did you know her nail polish is made of blood?"

"No guesses as to how she replaces it," Muttered Cheesemaster. Edna giggled nervously, and Edgar smiled for the first time.

 

"Nice to see the kid likes dark humor."

Edna sighed. "I like any kind of humor."

Edgard sighed again. Suddenly, Cheesemaster hastily asked,

"Did they force you to come here?"

Edgar nodded.

"I knew it," He muttered, his hand curling into a fist. "How awful..."

"Yea, this town, it's-It's kinda neat, for history, but I just want to be back in Longdon. No one thinks I'm a freak or a psycho there. No dumb***** try to come and tranquilize me when I go crazy on someone. Hey, I got into fights all the time at the Pool Hall-"

"Over what?"

Edgar was silent for a moment, pushing his glasses up his nose.

 

"They called me 'Four-Eyes'," He said; "Or Chimera-Boy-just replace 'Chimera' with any of the animals I am."

"I'm sorry."

"Yea, kinda sucks none of the animals I am are actually acceptable in that town-except the spider, and I don't have enough of that to get respect. Oh, wait-" He said, and he leaned forward; two black winged manifested behind him, coming out of the quills. "I have raven, too. It makes me able to swim, fly, and run. You know I have fish in me too. I can breathe underwater."

"You could live anywhere!" Said Edna, excitedly.

"Yea," said Edgar sadly. "But I prefer Longdon. When I learned I had Spider and Raven in me, I was happy-the fights decreased after that, and decreased even more when I showed them that giant walrus tusks may be ridiculous-looking, but you don't **** with them. And you don't **** with me."

 

Edna smiled shyly. "You seem like a nice enough guy-but please don't curse so much around me. I'm only five years old."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This chapter brought to you by the Association for Not Being on Fire

[Mushroom_king]

Edgar spit on the ground. "I'm trying to quit that, too. My mom always hated it. I hated my mom, too, but that doesn't mean she wasn't right about stuff. Like not smoking, and not swearing."

He grabbed a box of cigarettes out of his pocket, and lit one with a raven-engraved Zippo lighter. "But god---- it's hard," He said, as he took a long drag.

"Maybe the filth from the cigarettes is making me swear more," He suddenly thought aloud, and then laughed sadly.

 

"You know, we could take you back to Longdon-"

"No," Interrupted Edgar. "You're on your vacation, you deserve it. I'll make it home myself. I can color change, remember, and fly, and swim."

"But what if the employees catch you?"

Edgar took another drag. "Too late," He said coldly. "You may wanna cover the kid's eyes-"

Edgar said this as he walked over to the caravan, opened up the door, and three bodies-the same men they had seen take Edgar away earlier-tumbled out.

 

In one of the men's hands was a needle.

 

"They were about to kill me," Said Edgar, as though defending himself for his actions. "I did it in self-defense. I don't even remember that well how it even happened-" He said, thinking for a moment. "I just remember these three dumbshits grabbing me, taking me into my caravan, one guy holding me still, the second guy about to inject me-and the rest is kinda a blur, I...I remember breaking the first guy's grip on me, and when he tried'ta get me again I clutched his hands, breaking his fingers, one by one, ya know, like Rorshach from Watchmen, and then, the second guy-I-I remember him coming up to me-and I looked around-and I reached towards my bookshelf-and I grabbed my biggest book. What was it? Oh yeah-a Bible they gave me. I never read it, 'cause I didn't believe in God, but ---- if the thing isn't huge. It was a vintage family Bible, with the space in the back for Marriages and Funerals. Oh, wait, I remembered-I read the Funerals section. The thing weighed a ton, so I threw it at his head, and his needle flew through the air-say, are you really gonna let the kid listen to this?-and the third guy grabbed it off the floor and was about to come after me. Impaling him-ya know, with my teeth?- would leave a little too much evidence, plus it's a bitch to clean the blood off. I know. I ended up grabbing the needle and jabbing it into his hand, though I cleverly placed it so it looked like he was still holding it and made a mistake and injected himself, though I don't doubt one of these guys woulda done something like that because all three of them are IDIOTS."

 

Cheesemaster and Edna stood there gasping; and here in front of them was a murderer, and he could not be more than fifteen. Yes, there had been Dead Deep, but-Dead Deep, he was...they weren't sure how, but Dead Deep had been different, somehow; possibly because he was older, possibly because he was a zombie (for they wondered if he could really help it), and they were shocked. But at least he fitted perfectly into Longdon.

 

"But as you were saying?" Said the boy, motioning for them to continue.

"W-We were just saying that we ought to take you back home to Longdon," Cheesemaster stated again. He made a mental note to quit stuttering when he was afraid.

"I already said no," Said Edgar, "But I changed my mind when I remembered that all my books are still at home. So yea. Could you?"

Cheesemaster and Edna got up, brushed the dust of the ground off their clothes, and explained that they would need to tell Leguan and Alienfreak (oh, and Kat) about it.

"Unless you want to stay with us in the city for today and tomorrow-"

"No thanks."

"So it's settled," Said Cheesemaster, picking up Edna; "But it'll mean that the five of us will be staying in Hindenburg for even longer than planned now that we have to take the detour. But it will be quite enjoyable."

 

--------------------------------------------

 

Leguan and Alienfreak, who had gotten a small but unusually clean hotel room for the five of them, where Kat sat intently staring at a sandwich and hot dog she had purchased-the brand of the food being Tofuborrowed Blue; and Cheesemaster was talking over his plans with the scientists-as well as introducing Edgar to them.

 

"That's Kat over there," Said Cheesemaster, pointing at her. Kat said nothing, which was unusual. She usually came over and said something, usually about liking soup. She continued to stare intently at the food.

 

"Hi, Kat. Nice name," He grumbled sarcastically, and muttered a faint "Dumb--- parents" under his breath.

"Shut up," Said Kat. "I'm trying to hear."

 

Everyone was quiet for a moment, before Leguan tried unsuccessfully to speak again.

"Vat are vyou-"

"Shhh," She said, holding her finger up to silence him. "This sandwich is giving me some advice."

Edgar groaned. "What the fu-" He was about to say, but Kat shushed him again. They were silent for a while, Cheesemaster whispering into Edgar's ear that this was completely normal, until Kat gasped.

 

"What's wron-"

Kat suddenly jumped up out of her chair, ran over, and grabbed Cheesemaster's lapels. Cheesemaster's resounding chorus of "What?" drowned under her talking.

 

"You gotta tell them, Cheesemaster! You gotta tell them! TOFUBORROWED BLUE IS PEOPLE!!!!!"

 

There was a long silence, with Cheesemaster heavily breathing, and then Cheesemaster muttering, "Kat-what the #### is Tofuborrowed Blue?"

"It's the brand of these Hot dogs! Not the sandwich though! I knew there was a reason why the Hot Dog spoke funny! It didn't speak in the Food Accent that food normally has!"

"Food accent?!"

"Yea, the one you have!"

"Kat-" Started Cheesemaster, as the other four were obviously quite confused by the situation, "I'm English, of course I talk this way!"

"But all food sounds like that, I've found out! All food has an accent! The hot dog did not have an accent! Furthermore I knew it was PEEEEEEEOPPLLLLEEEEE!!!!!!"

Edgar slammed his fist down on a nearby table.

 

"I'm going outside for a smoke, you can have your referential psychotic breakdown on your own."

"No, Edgar, wait-"

"Even I'm not quite this insane."

 

Kat fell back in her chair, before opening up the window and throwing the hot dog out; Cheesemaster and Edna chased Edgar outside, and Kat claimed she was to go and set the Tofuborrowed Blue factory ablaze.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster and Edna found Edgar outside, hidden behind the building, a cigarette hanging limply out of his mouth beside his tusks. He stared coldly at Cheesemaster, who wondered why all three smoker he knew were cold people (though Roger truly wasn't as cold as Shirley Locke or Edgar; he just acted that way because of his past and present life situations, though for now that isn't important).

 

"Well? You ready to take me back home yet?"

"Well yeah, but-how long is the trip to Longdon from here, anyway?"

"Maybe a day if we fly-" Said Edgar, and then regretted saying it. "I can't support both'a ya."

Cheesemaster wrapped his arms around himself. "What's that supposed to mean?" He said, angrily.

"The kid is light enough-"

"Are you suggesting something about my weight?"

"No, it's just I'm kinda, you know, YOUNGER THAN YOU?!" He shouted, though not to loud so he wouldn't get caught smoking again. Back in Longdon they didn't care...which was bad and good.

 

"Sorry, Mr. King," Apologized Edna. "Mr. Cheesemaster gets angry about this sort of thing, he hates when people make fun of..." Edna trailed off as Edgar began to speak.

"I wasn't making fun of him," Defended Edgar.

"....but not quite as much as when people make fun of his glasses...."

"Like ---- I'd do that!" Said Edgar, his own bespectacled eyes blazing with anger.

"...thought maybe a little more than when people make fun of his job..."

"Speaking of which-" Said Edgar, and then telling Edna to shush, "What's with the hat? What, are you the paperboy or something?"

 

Cheesemaster glared at Edgar.

 

"...Oh. Sorry."

Edna continued his speech earlier:

"Though, somewhere in the middle, he hates being made fun of for the way his skin is..."

"IT'S MY WHOLE BODY, DOWN TO THE CORE," Cheesemaster gritted monotonously. "Except for my eyes and hair."

"...Though really he doesn't like being made fun of in general....but especially the glasses...God help you if-"

 

Edna then remembered Cheesemaster telling Edna, so many months ago, that he was an Athiest, and Edgar telling him earlier that day.

 

"Sorry. I mean, uhm-"

Cheesemaster smiled. "It's perfectly fine. You can go ahead and say that."

"OK. Thank you. as I was saying, God help you if you make fun of his glasses-"

"Come on, Edna. It's not like I'd impale someone in the stomach if they made fun of my glasses," He said, laughing. His expression suddenly grew dark and grim. "If they purposely broke them, however..."

"Shut up, you're starting to sound like me. And back to our transportation problem. What are we going to do? Not only that, but if you're the paperboy, then who the ---- is covering for you while you're here?!"

 

--------------------------------------

 

"Extra, Extra! Read all about it! Shirley Locke solves case of the Missing Bacon in a record ten-minutes!"

 

Cheese Woman, whose normal attire of a ball gown (or Lolita dress, in this weather) had been replaced with clothing she had borrowed from Cheesie's own wardrobe; she hoped he wouldn't mind.

 

"He's got at least five hats, and all of them looked the same!" She marveled, and then decided she would have to call him later, if she could.

 

She's gone the whole way to disguising herself as Cheesemaster-she'd even curled her normally straight hair and worn fake glasses to disguise herself. She was glad Cheesemaster's shirts were baggy, otherwise her secret would be exposed. The only problem was the lack of Edna; so, she secretly got another girl around Edna's age to dress up like him-Sterling!

 

The two of them had to disguise Sterling even more than Cheese Woman; she'd never hear the end of it from Jakob if he knew she was posing as a shoe-shining orphan.

But both girls were having difficulty in their pants and dress shoes, as both of them normally wore dresses and heels (Sterling wearing Mary-Jane shoes). Luckily Sterling's hair was already a little curly, so she just had to tuck it up under a cap, and her voice didn't need disguising since Edna's was also high-pitched.

 

Cheese Woman looked over at Sterling, and then asked her; "Doesn't Jakob wonder where you are?"

Sterling laughed. "Yes, but when he checks, he'll find someone who looks just like me-" She said, and then laughed, a bit viciously. "Did I ever tell you about my ancestor, Hazel Rabbitt? She looked juuuuust like me as a little girl."

"But isn't she-"

"Dead? Her spirit lives in our house."

Cheese Woman was speechless, though in reality she should not have been surprised, due to all the other creepy things in the Rabbitt Manor (though she did not know even the half of it).

 

The break time eventually came, and Cheese Woman walked inside to call Cheesemaster.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster suddenly got a phone call, his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. He had set it on vibrate so none of the citizens of Hindenburg would be confused as to the technology he carried, for their phones, including personal and cellular ones, were steam-powered-not electric like the one Cheesemaster had.

 

He picked it up out of his pocket and saw it was "Home". Curious, he answered. It was Cheese Woman. He picked it up, walked away for a moment, talked to her, and then came back after hanging up.

 

"That was-that was my friend," He explained. "She said that she, plus a younger girl I know, are posing as me and Edna."

Edgar breathed heavily. "Understandable."

"By the way, the lens I gave you-"

"Works fine."

There was a short silence.

"Well, I wasn't sure-"

"I'm nearsighted, so don't worry."

Cheesemaster smiled shyly. "Glad I brought them, then."

"I'm glad, too. All my lenses are back at home. I got a whole stockpile of 'em because I'd fight so much at the Pool Hall at home. You don't have any lens cleaner on you, do you? Left that at home too."

Cheesemaster pulled his handkerchief out of his breast pocket-it was in there with his watch, and embroidered with ニール.

"What's that mean?" Edgar and Edna asked in unison, looking at it.

 

Cheesemaster's hat brim fell over his eyes, and his face turned red. "Nothing. Just the name of someone-" He cleared his throat, as though thinking of something to say, "Someone gave it to me once. That was their name."

Edgar looked at it intently, and then rubbed it over his glasses, before returning it to Cheesemaster.

"Finally, can we talk about how we're going to get to Longdon?! We've already wasted a ton of time!"

"I told you we could fly there!"

"No way I'm carrying a...a...how old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"No way I'm carrying a seventeen year old and his, uh, five years old friend."

"Then how do you propose we get there? I haven't the money to spend on another train ticket, all my money is for the trip. You can't stay with us because since you attacked those people everyone's looking for you, unless you hide."

"I would do that, if I had my books with me, but they're all at my house back in Longdon."

"Then I guess we'll have to leave soon."

"HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THERE?"

"By flying there!!"

"I'm not carrying you!"

 

Cheesemaster groaned.

Edgar also groaned. "Let me see if I can carry you."

Cheesemaster, quite awkwardly, looked at Edgar's quill-covered back. Edgar sighed, and Cheesemaster gasped as he retracted them; but now that it was safe, Cheesemaster, quite awkwardly he must admit, climbed onto Edgar's back and hoped no fangirls would take screencaps of him.

 

Edgar's black wings grew out of his back, and Edna climbed up onto Cheesemaster's shoulders. Edgar's wings began to flap, and he did get off the ground-rather quickly. He then went back to the ground, though he didn't seem tired.

 

"Fine, fine, I'll carry both of you," Edgar muttered, sounding unsatisfied, "But when we get to Longdon, you have to promise that you'll stay one night there with me."

"Wait a minute-"

"I'll take you back here when you want to, and then I'll fly back home after that. Got all that? Good, let's go."

"But wait-"

But it was no use. Edgar had taken off, apparently not bothered by carrying two people on his back.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster had thought it impossible, but it was; Edgar had transported them from Hindenburg to Longdon in a lesser amount of time than the train. Well, lesser by about ten minutes...but it was still a difference.

 

Night had fallen, and it made the already spooky town of Longdon even spookier.

"First, I want to go to my house; then we'll be heading over to The Raven's Nest/'Salem's Lot Bar plus Pool Hall."

"But there are no pool halls in 'Salem's Lot," Mumbled Cheesemaster, but Edgar didn't seem to hear him.

 

Cheesemaster picked up Edna and cradled him, as so he wouldn't get scared, and they began the walk to Edgar's house, which seemed to take forever; Edna again said that he swore he saw eyes in the windows of the abandoned buildings, and even when they came across a building that wasn't abandoned, it didn't make him feel better-even if the lights were on inside.

 

"We're here," Said Edgar loudly, startling the boys, as Edgar had not said anything the entire way, and as the boys had been jumping at every shadow and every noise, they were quite shocked to hear him speak.

 

"Oh-I see-I see, this is your house," Stuttered Edna. Edgar shot him a sharp glance. "Don't. Stutter," Edgar said sternly, and Edna could only nod and mutter "Yes, Sir,"

 

Edgar took a set of keys out of his pocket and opened up the rickity gate, leading them into the yard of his run-down house.

 

The house was not abandoned obviously, but you could have swore it was; as stated, the gate was run-down and squeaked as Edgar opened it; the wrought-iron bars were bent and looked as though a large animal had attempted to tear through them more than one time. It looked as though he succeeded in a few spots of the fence.

 

The house and yard themselves were no better; The yard was overgrown, with no flowers or even any green grass. It was dark so they couldn't really see, but the grass seemed as though it had died long ago. It was horribly trampled down in some places. Weeds covered the entire yard as well, and if you were not careful you may fall into a small ditch.

 

The house was worn-down and weather-stained, with peeling grey wood and a roof with very little tiles left, and those still there were faded red. The boys walked into the overgrown yard, as Edgar warned them were there were holes.

 

"I used to fill the holes back up again," He said, "And the roof and exterior used to look OK. But the roofer and the wall-painters in this town moved away, and I can't be damned to do it myself. Oh, and I'd know if they died; if they died, they'd still be able to do my roof and walls."

Edna and Cheesemaster exchanged glances, but ignored the comment as Edgar led them around to the backyard, again taking care not to fall.

 

Eventually Edgar led them to a small doghouse, which was as old and rotted as the bigger house. The back door was right next to the doghouse, and a small cat-flap was installed into the door. Cheesemaster took a glance at the doghouse, and the name printed on the top over the entry and on the dog-dish was the same.

 

"Cujo," Said Edgar proudly. "My dog."

Cheesemaster gasped and nearly dropped Edna. "Now who in their right mind names their dog CUJO?!" He asked.

"I do," Said Edgar nonchalantly. "He's the one who caused all the holes in the lawn. He sometimes tries to tear up the fence too. I have a cat, too. His name is Churchill, but I call him Church."

"I am going to take a guess here and assume you did not name him after the man himself."

Edgar nodded, and was about to say something when Edna clung tighter to Cheesemaster. "I hear a scary noise!!" He whimpered, and the three were quiet, and Cheesemaster nodded as he heard a digging sound. He heard it directly behind him, but refused to see and look what it was; besides, Edgar ran to the direction of the sound and seemed to have the situation under control.

 

"Cujo, how many times have I told you to not go chasing rabbits down into holes?! You know that's a bad thing to do! Remember what happened last time?! Bad dog!!!"

 

Cheesemaster could only stare at Edgar, who was now dragging the large dog out of a Rabbit Hole, in sheer amazement.

 

Edgar chained up his dog, wiped the dirt off his hands and onto his pants, and turned to face the boys again.

"Well, I think we ought to get going soon, assuming you want to get back to Hindenburg by morning."

 

The boys said nothing, with Edna trying not to glance back at Edgar's house, as Edgar led them through the dark city.

Off in the distance the boys heard some faint sound of civilization, and eventually the sound got louder as they realized they were almost to the bar-plus-pool-hall that Edgar had described; the two buildings, which looked horridly out of place due to the obvious amount of people inside being very loud; Edgar looked around and Edna. Cheesemaster caught on to what he was thinking.

 

"Is Edna too young to come inside?"

"No, no. I'll tell them he's a psychic and he'll be fine."

Cheesemaster believed him as they walked into the large, black building, the sound instantly growing deafening upon opening the door, even though they were just in a hallway leading to the bar and pool hall areas and not in the actual area with the people-so they couldn't even imagine how loud it would be once they got in there.

 

Standing behind a rotted wooden podium was a tall, sophisticated-looking man wearing a clean black coat and vest. He recognized Edgar, and suspiciously eyed Cheesemaster and Edna.

 

"They're with me," Said Edgar.

"The child is not to be admitted," The man said, his voice monotonous.

"Come on," Pleaded Edgar, and he leaned over and whispered something into his ear. Cheesemaster caught the word "Shining" and already knew what he was saying.

 

"Fine, fine, he can come in. But please, make sure he doesn't summon up any vicious spirits. We had problems before in the past."

"I won't," Edna said quietly, but he knew he had not been heard among the noise, which was beyond deafening once they were in the actual area.

 

The room was large; there had once been a wall separating the bar and pool hall when the establishments had been separate entities, but now the wall had been removed; There were old, rotted stairs in the corner, and a pair of shoes nailed to one of the steps. The upstairs floor was completely shrouded in darkness. An elevator stood next to the doorway, and Cheesemaster advised Edna to NOT take the elevator should they need to.

 

In the second area, what was the pool hall, there were neon signs advertising exotic beers and wines from around the universe, plus three classic Billiards tables; Cheesemaster smiled and whispered to Edgar he would have to play some. The Bar area was enormous and extended all the way down the wall of both buildings. People sat in the booths, which were ripped up and often stained. The actual customers themselves were quite creepy: Many looked normal aside from a curious pale shade of skin (vampires!), or more hair then usual (werewolves!), or demonic horns/tails/wings (Demons or Succubi!), and they even saw a man with a dog's head in one booth. They thought he was an Anthro at first, but he had no tail and had completely human hands. Perhaps it was a mask, but they'd never know.

 

Edgar sat down at a table near a Billiards Table, where Edna sat on Cheesemaster's lap and Edgar lit up a cigarette, adding to the already large amount of choking smoke that filled the building, and mixed with the smell of alcohol and illicit drugs, proving for an unpleasant experience already.

 

Cheesemaster was about to order a drink (a soda, of course!) when he heard that same familiar female's voice again; and in front of him, behind Edgar, was Blood Queen, who was sitting on the edge of the Billiards table, dressed in a blood-red skimpy shirt and skirt, with her demon-like tail and wings fully on display. Dead Deep was leaning over the edge of the table, trying to hit a ball, a cigar hanging limply out of his mouth as he did. Cheesemaster noticed for the first time how very uneven his shoulder were. At hearing his girlfriend call a name he looked up and smiled his sadistic smile at Cheesemaster.

 

"How wonderful to see you again," He said, moving his tongue over his teeth like he had last time they met. Cheesemaster smiled at him, knowing he was safe from getting eaten...a first. Edna shivered, and Cheesemaster patted his back gently to remind him he was OK.

 

Dead Deep stood up from leaning over the billiards table and walked over to them, grabbing himself a seat. Blood Queen followed suite, though she stood. Cheesemaster noticed quite a few men gawking at her as she walked by; he frowned, but she seemed to be enjoying it.

 

Dead Deep's large eye grew even larger as he stared at Edna and Cheesemaster, and then at Edgar.

"How nice to see you again, King," He said, again moving his tongue over his teeth. "I heard they captured you and took you to put on display over in Hindenburg.

Edgar took a long drag on his cigarette, and then threw it into the ashtray.

"Yea, these two here saved me!" He said, pointing to Cheesemaster and Edna. "he and his buddies were the only ones NOT makin' fun of me, or the other guys workin' there."

"REALLY?!" Shouted Dead Deep, sounding both sarcastic and surprised somehow. He got a few stares but the room was still incredibly loud. He stood up, grabbed Cheesemaster's arm, and flung him up, with Cheesemaster just grabbing Edna.

 

Dead Deep held his arm in the air and called for everyone's attention, and he got it; for Dead Deep was, although the boys did not know it-how shall I put this-he was the most 'experienced' of everyone in the room. Now, by no means the oldest or tallest; the oldest would definitely go to any given vampire in the room, and tallest more than likely would go to a demon. But Dead Deep had been a loyal customer of the place ever since he came to Invision; it wasn't many years, but it seemed like a great many to the others, since most had only come to Invision very recently, in the past year or two.

 

Dead Deep's accent (Brooklyn-esqe, but it actually came from a Dreamtopian city known solely, oddly enough, as 1, 234, 567-One wonders what its residents call themselves?)

 

"Hey, everybody-This heah kid saved the loife of ah one and only Edgar Alan King!" He said, and he motioned for Edgar to stand up too.

"See, Edgar has returned from the clutches of those side-shows over in Hindenburg!" He announced, "By these two!"

 

The room suddenly imploded with applause, but was stopped by the lone voice of outcry: in the middle of the cheering, a man yelled "IT'S A LIE!" And Dead took a look to see who it was.

 

It had been a man, whom the boys could not tell the species of, who stood up. Dead Deep loosened his grip on Cheesemaster's arm, and eventually let go of it.

"Who the ---- is this?!" He shouted, pointing accusingly at Cheesemaster and Edna. "Some nobody I ain't never seen around Longdon and some little kid?! I'm not gonna believe that this four-eyes saved Edgar."

Cheesemaster placed Edna on the lap of Edgar, much to his dismay; but he had no time to complain, as he saw Cheesemaster's eyes go white with rage.

 

"Excuse me?" He muttered, the entire room silent. Cheesemaster slowly walked forward, until he was about two feet in front of the stranger. "What was that you just called me?"

"What the #### is your deal?!" Said the stranger, mockingly, "A book, hanky, and watch in your pocket?! What are you, some kind of book-reading -----?!"

Cheesemaster said nothing, his hands in his pockets.

"We don't like your kind in this town! Go back to Hindenburg, newsie-I'll bet you can't even throw a punch, four-eyes."

"Call me that again," Cheesemaster muttered.

The stranger took a several steps back, but not out of fear; he leaned down and Cheesemaster saw he was rolling up a punch.

"I...said...you're...a....FOUR-EYES!!"

The stranger charged his punch, and then came swinging full force at Cheesemaster.

 

"Can I throw a punch?" Repeated Cheesemaster, quietly, as the stranger came lurching towards him.

 

"I'LL SMASH YOUR GLASSES INTO YOUR FACE!!"

 

"Can I Throw a punch...?" Cheesemaster said again, more questioningly this time.

 

The stranger was a few inches in front of Cheesemaster when people suddenly heard something like the sound of something shattering.

 

Dead Deep, Edgar, and Edna gasped; his glasses-

 

A splatter of blood went up in the air, and they looked at it in confusion. Cheesemaster's blood was not red human blood-it was orange-yellow cheese blood.

 

They looked, and saw the stranger, his face with a fist imprint in the side of it, two teeth by his head, blood pouring out of his mouth. Cheesemaster was just beside him, one leg on his back, looking down at him with not a drop of mercy in his eyes.

 

The stranger was still alive; his breaths came slow and heavy, but painful-sounding; and the people realized it had not been Cheesemaster's glasses that were the source of the shattering noise; it was the stranger's jaw.

 

Cheesemaster turned the man's body over, as he slowly opened his eyes to see Cheesemaster staring at him with those unmerciful eyes. He gasped, and then coughed, with blood coming out.

 

Cheesemaster grabbed the stranger's collar, and said to him in a voice that matched his eyes, "I don't take very kindly to rude comments about my eyesight," He said. And then he yelled, "If that's too much for your weak mind to understand, then here's the short version: DON'T CALL ME FOUR-EYES!!!" He said, just barely picking the man up and hauling him back to where he was sitting, where his friends had watched in awe.

 

Dead Deep, for the first time since they met him, was wearing an expression that did not read 'sadistic'; he was completely shocked.

 

Cheesemaster walked over, acting as though nothing had happened, as the room, after some cheers, went back to normal.

Dead Deep stared in astonishment. "Do you even REALIZE what you just did?"

"I punched someone for making fun of my glasses," He sighed. "I promised I wouldn't do that anymore..."

Edgar had leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "Daaaaaaaaaaaang....kid wasn't kidding when he said you were serious when people made fun of you."

"DO YOU NOT REALIZE WHAT YOU JUST BEAT UP?!" Shouted Blood Queen, and Cheesemaster shook his head.

 

"That was a Chimera! A chimera of a Vampire and Werewolf! Do you know how powerful they are?! That guy could have eaten you!"

"I'm made of cheese," He laughed; "If I wasn't friends with them I'd make a great vampire or zombie hunter."

 

 

 

 

 

[that chapter contained more foreshadowing than what I think may be legal D:

 

 

and I'd recommend that you guys NOT translate that Japanese text.]

[Mushroom_king]

[i hope the Russian accent is OK. I couldn't find any good guides on Google like I could for the German accent, and I don't have any family members or Friends to base it off of like I do the British, French, and Texan accents.]

 

 

 

 

 

-Several hours after Cheesemaster and Edgar's night in Longdon-

 

Cheese Woman woke up with a stretch and sigh; it was her second day on the job, and was still a thing she was not used to.

 

She jumped out of her bed and ran quickly to her bathroom, intending to take her pink ribbon and tie it through her hair; but then she remembered that Cheesemaster did not, and in general young men did not, tie pink ribbons in their hair.

 

She had already rubbed all of her nail-polish off of her nails and trimmed her nails so they did not appear manicured, and had purchased some fake glasses that looked exactly like Cheesemaster's. She reached for her curling iron to curl her hair like his, and after doing so, reached for the pants, shirt, cap and button-on suspenders she had 'borrowed' from his own wardrobe for her disguise.

 

She had also bought a pair of men's dress shoes to wear, as his own shoes did not fit her of course; it was very odd for her to wear them since as we have already stated she typically wore heels. But she had gotten a lot better at walking in flat shoes.

 

She got her disguise on, went into her living room and grabbed the bundle of newspapers she had bought for that day, and practiced to make sure she could disguise her voice correctly, and then went outside. Sterling was already outside, sitting on Edna's stoop, properly disguised as him. She did a good job of it.

 

Cheese Woman set a stack of papers on the sidewalk and held up one of them for all to see. The headline was quite interesting for once: VICIOUS SIDESHOW FREAK ESCAPES.

 

She gasped at the headline, and gasped even more when she saw that Kat, Leguan, and Alienfreak had been questioned for the paper's report. She was lucky that Cheesemaster and Edna had not been questioned, or their disguises would have been useless. She checked the rest of the article to make sure nothing was in there about him; anything related to Longdon or Hindenburg, she read for a sign of him. None. Good.

 

Time passed by with people coming and buying the paper to read the interesting headline, and it was only a matter of time before Jakob Rabbitt once again showed up. He was just as nasty as Cheesemaster often made him out to be; she had never really experienced him up-close, and he had not ever made fun of her, save for when she was called a mold by him; so she was a tad afraid of what might happen.

 

Jakob did come by; but strangely enough, he was not scowling with hate at her, but rather looked concerned.

 

He came up to Cheese Woman, and of course believed she was Cheesemaster, and asked her quickly and desperately, "Have you seen Sterling?"

Cheese Woman shook her head. "I haven't seen her at all," and then Sterling, of course disguised as Edna, said the same.

 

"Thank you, I've been looking for her. I looked in her bed this morning and all I found was Hazel Rabbitt's spirit. She vanished before I could get any answers out of her," was all he said before he walked away.

 

Once he was a safe distance, Cheese Woman hoped aloud, "I hope Cheesie comes back soon."

 

---------------------------------------

 

And now back to the events of the night before, at The Raven's Nest/'Salem's Lot in Longdon...

 

A few hours had passed since Cheesemaster had beat up the Werepire, who had long since left. Dead Deep was still playing pool in the corner, and on his fifth box of cigars.

 

"But aren't they bad for you?" Edna asked.

"I'm dead, kid! They can't hurt me anymore."

"Oh, I guess that's true."

Dead Deep hit the last pool ball into the pocket, and Blood Queen, who was keeping track of his score, surprisingly.

"That's your best game yet," She said, clapping. Dead Deep pushed his sunglasses up his nose so they wouldn't fall off, and sighed (which Edna found odd. He was dead so he didn't need to breathe, did he?)

 

"Wish I had someone to play the game with," He said, and Cheesemaster walked over.

"I could, if you want me to," He announced, and Edgar came by to watch.

 

But Edgar was suddenly distracted by something, when his eyes went wide and he was glaring wide-eyed across the room.

"Her-I thought she was..." He started.

"Dead?" Finished Dead Deep.

 

Cheesemaster followed his gaze and his eyes fell on an older woman, who was inhumanly beautiful, and thus Cheesemaster deemed she may be a vampire, but you never knew-after all, they had to be beautiful in their previous life to look like that, so of course by this fact along he couldn't make an assumption.

 

But she was very beautiful-she was tall, curvy, and had long wavy black hair; her eyes were blue, she had red lips, and a vacant expression. She wore a purple, Victorian-styled top, black lacy leggings, black lace-up heels, and welding goggles on her head for whatever reason. She also wore a black trench coat, with black fur decorating the cuffs.

 

Dead Deep laughed. "Not like I'm ruling out the possibility of the living dating the dead," He muttered. "Queenie here is still alive."

Blood Queen folded her arms and pouted. "Quit reminding me," She whined.

"Who is she?" Asked Cheesemaster, still looking at her.

"That-She's my girlfriend from before I was taken to Hindenburg," Said Edgar. The fact Edgar had a girlfriend surprised even Dead Deep. He didn't seem like the romantic type.

 

"Oh, I see. What's her name?"

"Annabel Lee," He said bluntly, and Cheesemaster sighed. "How very ironic," He muttered, but Edgar didn't hear him.

"So Dead, what'd she come back as?" He asked, ignoring Cheesemaster. "Vampire? Zombie?"

"Don't know," He said, hitting some of the pool balls into the pockets. "I've studied her, wondering, but haven't found out. I haven't seen any adverse reactions to the sun, and she doesn't smell dead like a zombie. It's like she just came back, as the human she was before."

"Like in that book, Pet Sematary."

"Exactly," Said Dead, "Except, you know, she didn't come back as an evil terror. Not that anyone here would mind if she did, mind ya."

Cheesemaster suddenly coughed, and slammed his hands onto the edges of the pool table. The others looked at him.

 

"Buried in Pet Sematary, eh? Came back as the human she was before?" He said, angrily.

"Well yea-" Started Dead Deep.

"Bringing someone back to life the way they were before is not that easy!!!" He shouted, but not loud enough for everyone to hear him. The others were taken aback.

"You can't just bury someone and expect them to come back ship-shape as the human being they were! You have to-" He stopped, his eyes looked as though he could start crying at the thought of a horrible memory. He cleared his throat. "You can't even have them come back in the body they once had if you want them back the way they were, unless you want to dig up the body, granted it has not already decomposed, and who knows if it would work after Rigor Mortis?! You have to make them a new body if you don't want to do that, and then you have to call their soul back from the other side-it's not as easy as burying someone in a special place and have them come back as a human!!! IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE!!!!"

The group was completely silent, and for a moment, it seemed as though the building was too, even though everyone was still loud around them.

 

"Souls from the other side?" Scoffed Edgar, kicking the legs of the table. "I thought you were an atheist! We don't believe in that sort of-"

"You shut up!" He shouted at Edgar, taking him aback. "You stop touting that as a label of your rebelliousness!"

"I wasn't-"

"Mr. Cheesemaster, that really is an odd thing for you to talk about," Edna said quietly.

"Being an atheist doesn't rule out the existence of a soul, you stupid sod," He muttered to Edgar, his eyes white with fury as they had been earlier.

"Besides, where did you hear of that?" Asked Blood Queen, who had gotten down from the pool table.

Cheesemaster cleared his throat, and began to sweat-he briefly turned around and wiped the fog off his glasses-searching his mind for what he could say while still keeping secrecy.

 

"My father told me that once," He said. It was as close to the truth as he could get without saying the truth. "He was..."

 

His eyes fogged up, and the rage mixed with remembering and sadness. He cleared his throat again.

 

"He was a scientist," He lied. "Though not a famous one."

"A scientist who talks about bringing the dead back," Muttered Dead Deep. He smiled-sincrely, not sadistically. "Like Dr. Frankenstein," He said, laughing.

"Sort of," Murmured Cheesemaster, walking over to the table and grabbing his coat.

"I want to go back to Hindenburg now," He said, his voice quiet from sadness.

"We can take you there," Said Blood Queen and Dead Deep in unison.

"Thank you," He breathed.

 

----------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster and Edna sat in the Hearse, which for some odd reason had back seats. Probably custom-installed. Edna asked.

 

"Nah, this is the way they'ah made in Longdon. Ya see, when someone dies in our town, it's a pretty exciting event. Unloik elsewhere, where everyone's crying all over the place. I think it's because elsewhere, they don't come back like we do. So we got multiple seats for taking away bodies."

"I see," Edna said quietly. He leaned back in his seat, and was surprised to see Cheesemaster was not reading like he usually did. He was just sitting there, staring out the window, his only movement being his arm occasionally moving to adjust his glasses.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster, what's wrong? You're not reading. Did you finish your book?"

He muttered a No. "I brought enough books with me that it would not be a problem," he said. "I brought five books, and finished two on the train ride here," He said nonchalantly.

 

Edna gaped in amazement. He couldn't read three books in one train ride-except maybe little kid's picture books, but he was far past the age of reading that sort of thing; he had actually begun to read books that were more suited for children at least five years older than him. In just a few months he had changed from a boy who could barely read at all to an expert reader-for his age.

 

"What's wrong, then?" He repeated. Cheesemaster sighed deeply.

"It's nothing for you to know about," He murmured.

"But Mr. Cheesemaster, what you said about your father, I-I....I never heard you talk about your parents before."

"I said it's nothing for you to know about. It's too harsh a history for someone as young as yourself."

"But now I shall be up thinking and wondering what you could have possibly meant by all of that!"

"I said it is nothing for you to know about!!" Cheesemaster shouted, and Edna jumped back as best as he could under his seatbelt. Cheesemaster almost never yelled at him, save for the one time on the subject of his relationship with Mushroom_king...and Edna had long attributed that outburst to being tired. This time he thought perhaps the same thing was the problem, and declared in his mind he would try tomorrow morning.

 

"Hey, you two, better get to sleep; this'll be an all-night drive," Said Dead Deep, not looking at them once. He reached up and looked at a Hitchhiker on the side of the road who looked rather ominous, and ended up picking the man up; he was very tall and very scary-looking, so Edna scooted in closer to Cheesemaster and tried, eventually only succeeding because his mind was unable to keep him awake anymore, to sleep.

 

--------------------------------------------

 

The next morning came. The hitchhiker was gone, the day was cloudy, and Hindenburg was apparently only about half an hour away. Edna woke up and stretched, and was now hungry for breakfast; which Dead Deep had forgotten, as he had forgotten that the two were still a part of the living and needed non-brain food and non-blood liquids to survive.

 

"Uh...looks like you may hafta wait 'till we get to the city before ya can eat. 'Less you're interested in brains."

"No thanks," Said Edna and Cheesemaster in unison-Edna giggling, Cheesemaster dryly. Edna looked up at him; he arms were folded, and he looked at the ceiling of the hearse. The two of them did not talk until they got to Hindenburg.

 

"It's a shame you couldn't stay longer," Said Dead Deep as he dropped the boys off. He smiled sadistically. "We had been just about to leave that place and head over to CyberZeks, a rave club...though I don't think you would have liked it. It's full of some pretty weird kids-you know, the ones who wear white foundation, surgical masks, and are into bondage. er, sorry I said that in front of the kid. See you two later!" he said, and giggled as he moved his tongue over his teeth again.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

After a hearty breakfast, the five of our heroes, reunited at last and telling the tale of what happened in Longdon, had to decide what to do next. Today was supposed to be Alienfreak's turn, but she gave it to Edna since he looked upset about something.

 

"Is there a zoo here?" He asked happily, and Leguan nodded. "Of courze zere es. Vere you thinking heff going zere?"

Edna nodded excitedly, and Cheesemaster picked him up as they made their way to the Hindenburg Zoological Park.

 

The day was cloudy, so there were few children at the park who were Edna's age; It was mostly adults, or teenagers who went there for reasons unknown. So Edna only had the other four to talk with, and they were rather busy; Leguan, as he was a biologist, studied not the animals, but the plants in their exhibits. Alienfreak, as she was a chemist, wondered how the plants could be mixed together. Kat was too busy spending her time in the Big Cat and Monkey exhibits to talk to anyone, so Cheesemaster and Edna decided it would be more fun to go to the Penguin House.

 

"The place is decidedly modern for a city that hasn't changed much since the 1920's," Cheesemaster marveled, as he set Edna down on the concrete floor of the penguin house so he could stand on the rail and look in at the glass area where the penguins lived.

 

He stood on the rail for a long time, with Cheesemaster often stopping to warn him to be careful, when Edna happened to look over and see there was one more person in the Penguin House with them; a little boy Edna's age!

 

"Look, look!" He whispered, tugging on the side of Cheesemaster's coat, "A little boy my age!"

Cheesemaster looked; also standing on a rail, with his arms folded on the top rail and his head placed on top of his folded arms, was a young boy like Edna said, with bright red hair that spiked out at the ends, and wore what looked like a military uniform, but with shorts and knee socks. Cheesemaster breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no swastikas on the outfit, but was a little concerned when he saw a Hammer-and-Sickle logo on the outfit instead.

 

Edna got off the rail, ran over, and climbed onto the rail next to their young visitor. He took no notice of Edna, and when he looked, Edna saw he had a very bored expression on his face.

"Hullo there!" Edna said cheerfully. "My name is Edna, what's yours?"

The boy's eyes shifted to the side, looked at Edna, and then he jumped off the rail. His eyes grew wide all of a sudden, and he slowly back away from Edna.

 

"Well wot's wrong?" He asked, and the boy's eyes grew wider still, and then he shouted something in a language Edna did not understand-Cheesemaster looked over, adjusted his glasses, and recognized the language as Russian.

 

Suddenly, a short, curvy woman came over, and put her hand on the boy's shoulder. She wore a full-piece tuxedo, complete with tails; she wore small glasses, had blond hair, and the cuffs of her coat and shirt were larger than the rest of the sleeve. Next to her was a tall, thin man wearing a black fedora, navy-blue trench coat, what looked like a matching cloak, and had long, dark-blue (very dark!) hair. You could barely see his face underneath his hat and hair. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulders as well. Edna thought they were his parents; Cheesemaster knew it was not possible, as the boy had red hair and the adults had black and blond hair, and both parents had to have red hair for the child to have it. Science had taught him that!

 

Another hint that the adults were not his parents came when they spoke: for they both had English accents, while the boy had a Russian one, though his English grammar was rather good, though he still spoke with an accent. All three voices sounded familiar. The woman spoke first.

 

"Now, now, my deah 'ittle friend. You cahn make the wehld a Communist society when you'h oldeh."

"Vut Comrade, I promeez you I vuld make it more like vas originally meant to be!"

"Stop colling us 'Comrade'," The man muttered, shutting his eyes. "You'h nhot in an Ohwell novel."

"I hev plan for making et verk for effryvun!"

 

"Excuse me," Cheesemaster said, walking over. "I'm sorry if my young friend interrupted something important, but he hasn't seen any other children his age here at the zoo yet and just wanted someone to talk to..."

"Friend to talk to!" the boy shouted happily, escaping from the adult's grasps and running over to Edna, who seemed a little taken aback. He'd only heard of Communism in textbooks, and all his textbooks made it seem bad.

 

"Vell then, eff not mind, zen let us talk. Heff you read any Karl Marx vorks? I heff, end I zee effryvun vho tried en the past failed making ze plan vork! I vill make vork! I vill, I vill, I vill..."

Edna took a step back, scratched his head, and looked up at Cheesemaster, helplessly confused. He looked back at the boy, blushed, and showed he didn't know what he was talking about.

 

Suddenly, the three strangers looked behind them when they heard footsteps that sounded like high-heels.

"We have to go," Said The woman, and she ran out with the man and boy, muttering something among the lines of "Trigger it soon," and all three ran off and vanished.

 

Edna whimpered, and cleared his throat to keep from crying.

"I almost made a new friend, but I failed because I'm not smart enough," He said, whimpering. Cheesemaster picked him up, and was beginning to comfort them when they saw a familiar face-Shirley Locke!

 

"Miss Locke!" Said the boys in unison, and they looked next to her and saw Aloysius Ahrrow standing with her, which confused them, but he smiled at them.

"Good to see you boys," He said, and Shirley said the same. "I've been helping Miss Locke here on some recent cases and chronicling them in a notebook, which I'm thinking about publishing as a book. 'The Adventures of Shirley Locke,' I'm thinking of calling it."

"Very original," Muttered Cheesemaster sarcastically. "Anyhow, why would you be in Hindenburg?"

"I was about to ask you the same very question," Said Aloysius.

Shirley reached around in her pocket and grabbed for her pipe. "Dr. Ahrroww, it's very simple; he is here on travel with Leguan and Amara, those two scientists, as well as Miss Dacatis. Leguan recently finished his airship he was for so long working on, and recently got the help of this young man, and the four of them all went for a flight in it before being assaulted by a gun. They traveled by train, and the boys were obviously staying up very late over in Longdon with some shady characters." She lit her pipe and blew a smoke ring into the air, ignoring a No Smoking notice. "He got into a fist fight and won."

 

Aloysius stared at her, dumbfounded, and she laughed.

"How did you deduce all that?" He asked her, and she explained.

 

"On his handkerchief, there are wet patches obviously from the steam of the ship; he must have used it to clean off his eyeglasses. His clothes have not been washed or ironed very well apparently, as there are still wrinkles in them from sitting inside of the airship, and a slight indention on the side of his cap from a bullet hole," She explained, motioning towards him to show him where she saw these things. "Sticking out of his paperbag there are tickets for the infamous steam train; underneath his eyes there are some dark circles showing he stayed up very late. And your fists still have the blood of someone on them. I presume no one else has told you, but you smell of the dead, which are frequent in that city, Longdon." She blew another smoke ring in the air, and Aloysius again stared at her.

 

"When you explain it, it's just all so..."

"Elementary," Said She.

He grinned. "That is exactly the word."

"But no matter," She said, her tone suddenly serious. "You haven't seen anyone inside this penguin house, have you?" She asked, putting out her pipe before any park employees caught her using it.

"Just a man, woman, and a young boy."

"Two Brits and a Russian?"

"Exactly that!" Shouted Edna.

"And which way did they go?"

"That way," Said Cheesemaster, pointing to his left.

"Thank you, boys. I hope to see you again," She said, and all four said their farewells before Shirley and Aloysius ran off to find the three strangers they had seen, and left the boys more confused than ever.

[Mushroom_king]

Cheesemaster and Edna were making their way out of the penguin house when a great crash was heard behind them; they looked, and the glass of the penguin house had broken and the penguins were all waddling out, armed with sanity-stealing guns!

 

Cheesemaster swiftly grabbed Edna by the wrist, nearly dragging him along, and he had to hold onto the sides of his glasses and yet keep a finger on his cap to keep them from flying off as they ran.

 

"Come on, Edna! Run!!!"

"What's going on?" Edna shouted.

"They're sanity-stealers!"

"I don't know what you mean, but OK!"

 

The boys ran through the park, past the few screaming people they came across; the other animals in the park got riled up and tried to escape, but the penguins did not stop to free them. They simply took their sanity-stealing guns and zapped anyone they came across.

 

Cheesemaster was far more worried about Edna's safety than his own, and even moreso the safety of Alienfreak; not so much Kat as her sanity had probably already been stolen, or that she didn't have one to be stolen in the first place. But either way, he hoped his friends had escaped the park; he did not know it but they had gotten out safely, and a crowd was lining up along the walls of the park wondering what the ruckus was about.

 

Cheesemaster and Edna continued running, and suddenly wondered where Shirley and Aloysius were; they wouldn't be able to do their jobs anymore without their sanities.

 

Edna shouted for both of them, but was quieted by Cheesemaster.

"If you yell those penguins will find us," he said sternly, and then sighed and said, "I never thought I'd be running away from freaking penguins!"

 

The boys ran for a long time until they thought they had lost the penguins; but now they found that they themselves were lost.

"We need to find the exit," Cheesemaster said, nearly out of breath and his glasses slipping from sweating. He looked around for any sign of the exit but found none. Anyone who could help him had already gotten their sanity stolen and was probably unable to help them even if they did find them.

 

"Perhaps we could climb over the wall?" Edna suggested, and Cheesemaster looked at the high walls of the park.

"It'll be difficult, but it's worth a try. Here-" He said, taking off his jacket, and then his sweater. "Hold these."

"What are you going to do?" Edna asked as he held the jacket.

"Remember those braces Mushroom gave me for my birthday?" He said, and it took Edna a bit to remember he was talking about his suspenders. "Yes, I remember. What about them?"

"Remember? She said they were stretchy or worked as grappling hooks or something among those lines. This is a perfect opportunity to test them out."

Edna nodded. "OK, sir," He said, not sure of whether this plan would work. He looked behind him and yelped-the penguins had found them!

 

"Hurry up, Mr. Cheesemaster! I'll try and fend them off!" He shouted, and not quite sure what to do with it, tied the sweater and jacket around his waist.

Cheesemaster took his suspenders, and before trying them, felt the wall to make sure he couldn't climb it.

Damn, He thought, not loose bricks or anything. If I had just one loose brick I could put my foot in it and heave myself up the wall, or throw the brick at the penguins-no, no, that'd be cruel..."

 

He became aware that his glasses were beginning to seriously fog up; he was unable to think properly if his glasses weren't clean.

 

"Edna! I need you to hold them off!"

"I'm trying, sir!"

Edna was unleashing any PK attack he could use-especially fire ones, since penguins didn't like heat, or so he guessed.

Cheesemaster rushed for his handkerchief and quickly moved it over his lenses, not very well cleaning them but he could at least see out of them now. He looked up and down the section of wall, and then the other sections of the wall. No luck. They'd probably just recently re-done the wall so to get rid of any loose bricks.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster-Sir-please hurry up, I can't do this for long!"

"Try destroying the lasers!"

"O-Ok," Edna stuttered.

 

Cheesemaster unbuttoned his suspenders and tried to remember how to make them stretch and then hook onto the edge of a wall, as MK had told him over an e-mail the day after his birthday.

 

He flung them up at the edge of the wall and pushed an odd button at just the right time so it would hook on. Now he needed to figure out whether he would go about this like a rock climber and climb up the edge of the wall, or go about this like a superhero and just throw himself over the ledge. He decided that throwing himself over was the quickest way out, though certainly not the safest, and yelled for Edna.

 

"Coming," the boy shouted, tripping due to lack of energy, and just barely got to Cheesemaster before he released his footing and sent both flying upwards, and they just barely escaped with their lives as they landed on the other side of the wall, with the penguins struggling to get over, as penguins cannot fly nor climb.

 

Cheesemaster had just gotten his suspenders back on along with his sweater and jacket when he heard the familiar British woman's voice; he looked up and saw The Grim Hamster Lord and Redwing flying above the wall, with Sheena having been carried to the very top of the wall!

 

"Sheena-" Shouted Cheesemaster, confused, "Grim, Redwing-How the-Why are you here?!"

"Wot do you think?!" Sheena shouted.

"We'h here to steal sanities. Wot did yew think we weh here for?" Said a cross-sounding Grim.

"Ves! To steal zanities!" Shouted Redwing, and Edna finally made the connection.

 

"You're that little boy who ignored me earlier! Why are you a bird now?!" Shouted Edna accusingly at Redwing, whose eyes went wide.

"ISS NOT JUZT BIRD! ISS PHOENIX! ISS GREATEST TYPE BIRD!" Shouted Redwing angrily.

"I don't care! Why are you a bird now?! Why are you a penguin?!" He said, shouting at Sheena.

"Magic powers," Sheena said triumphantly. "We used it back home, too, on Earth! It would just be queer if a penguin and two Phoenixes were wandering about!"

"I get it now," Said Edna quietly. Then he got angry again. "But why do you want sanities?"

"To rule the world, of course!" Shouted Grim, with Redwing echoing the "Of course" after him as loud as possible.

 

"Well I won't let you!" Shouted another voice from behind the wall; this time belonging to Shirley Locke, whose mobility allowed her to climb up the wall better than Cheesemaster could, and Aloysius, being an elf, was also quite agile. The two of them stood on top of the brick wall, confronting the three birds.

 

"Shirley Locke!" Mocked Grim, setting Sheena down on the top of the brick wall finally. "How wonderfully wonderful of you to come here!"

"I've finally caught all three of you," She said. "Especially you, Redwing."

"You all know each other?" Asked Edna.

"Me and the Phoenixonian army go far back, young man," Shirley said without looking at him. "I sought them out even back on Earth in England. And now I have finally got you where I want you to be!"

"Not zo," Said Redwing, flapping his wings over to Shirley and attempting to knock her off the side of the wall; Aloysius tried to grab her, but she backed away from him. She did not need his help to keep her balance.

 

"We have one major advantage over you, Shirley-we can fly!" Shouted Grim.

"You can't, though!" She said, lunging towards Sheena, who was completely helpless; the phoenixes were not quick enough to rescue her from Shirley's unusually strong grip, and refused to give up even when the phoenixes started attacking her. It was an extremely queer sight to behold-the elvin inventor and detective standing on the walls of a zoo clutching a penguin as two phoenixes attacked her. Safe to say it attracted quite the crowd, and it made Edna and Cheesemaster (though especially Edna) feel quite awkward.

 

Shirley and Sheena suddenly lost their balance-or as much of it that they had, fighting on a brick wall-and tumbled to the ground, just barely rescued by Grim and Redwing flying down and catching Sheena, and Cheesemaster running over to catch Shirley; Aloysius jumped down to do it first, but as you know was beaten to it.

 

Shirley reached over to grab Sheena but foiled by Grim and Redwing, who put their talons on her hand and attempted to scratch it up; but Shirley was not to be stopped by such a thing. She'd gone through far more dangerous situations-she'd been in the clutches of vampires, been at the mercy of sadistic killers, gotten thrown off waterfalls, and had been in many more such situations. Mere talons of Phoenixes would not stop her.

 

Aloysius and Cheesemaster were trying to pry Shirley off Sheena, and the phoenix's talons off of Shirley, and tried to get the crowd away from them-and it failed up until a point.

 

"LOOKIE ME!!!" Shouted Kat, and the crowd turned and looked behind them. Down the sidewalk was Kat, who was dressed like Captain Kirk with a Batman mask and cape. She ran down the road while humming the Spiderman theme, and suddenly set herself on fire. She screamed a scream of genuine pain, but the crowd found it hilarious and laughed. Kat stopped, dropped, and rolled, semi-successfully putting out the fire.

"Cat People! Putting out Fires!" She shouted, doing some feline tricks. "Soon to be annoying you at a theatre near you!"

Kat ran away and changed into a firefighter outfit, lit herself on fire again, and then put it out.

 

"She's distracting them," Aloysius whispered. "Come on," He said, "Shirley-"

"I've waited too long, Doctor. I'm not giving up on capturing them!"

But it was indeed too late; the phoenixes wriggled Sheena out of Shirley's grasp and flew off with her, with the penguin complaining about how she didn't need their help to get out of situations.

 

Shirley stood up, stopped to catch her breath, and then did something the three had never seen her do before; she fell to her knees and gave a resounding "No!!".

 

"I had all three of them, finally in my grasp...If I could just catch them, then I could finally focus on capturing that Vlad Tepes..." She got up, sighed, and Aloysius went over and tried to comfort her.

 

"If it's any consolation, Shirley, it's just about tea time," He said, and she sighed. "Thank you, Aloysius, we shall go to the nearest tea house so I can mope in my loss..."

"That sounds good," Aloysius said, and looked around; conveniently there was a tea-room across the street. He turned around and looked at Cheesemaster and Edna.

"Are you boys going to join us?"

"Would we ever," said Cheesemaster as happily as he could.

 

-----------------------------------

 

Shirley Locke, Aloysius Ahrroww, CC Edna, and Cheesemaster sat in a tea-room that had about half the room filled with the finely-dressed citizens of Hindenburg. Shirley, who had her violin with her oddly enough, was somberly moving the bow across the strings, much to the dismay of some other customers trying to have their tea and cake. Edna found it quite ridiculous that they would complain.

 

"They are complaining because they have the state of mind that women are not to play instruments," Cheesemaster said, taking a drink of his tea. He shut his eyes and smiled, sighed heavily and happily, and then opened his eyes again, as the steam from the cup rose and fogged up his glasses, which cleared away just a few seconds later. Edna giggled at him.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster, how do you even like drinking that?"

Cheesemaster set his cup down on the table, next to Aloysius's cup and Shirley's cup (which was untouched), and he smiled warmly at Edna.

 

"I prefer milk," Said Edna, when Cheesemaster said nothing. "Or water."

"I was the same way as a kid," Said Cheesemaster. "It was always too bitter to me. I found some sweet kinds, though; and that's when I learned to like it." He reached for his cup and took another drink. "Plus, most teas are quite good for your health, I have heard."

 

Edna sighed. Cheesemaster laughed. "You can put milk in your tea, you know. And sugar."

"I thought that was coffee?"

"Tea, too. You know I don't drink coffee."

"Bloody awful stuff," Moped Shirley. Aloysius laughed but nodded in agreement. "My wife Lara drank it all the time. I don't know how she did, but then again, she always asked me how I was able to drink tea."

"Your wife was an American, wasn't she?" Asked Cheesemaster, his expression curious.

"Indeed she was." He stopped for a moment and stared into space. After a moment of silence he turned back to Cheesemaster. "I moved to Montreal in Canada because I felt like it would be an interesting new environment to work in. She was there on a business trip-she was a businesswoman, you know, from the States."

Shirley stopped playing her violin for a moment and finally took a sip of her tea.

 

Aloysius's face twisted in disgust. "My two daughters later took a liking for sweet tea and iced tea, the two most disgusting and vile things I have ever had the displeasure of ingesting."

"That's a shame," Shirley moped, and she began playing a sad tune on her violin as she contemplated what to do next. She suddenly jumped out of her slumped state, drank the rest of her tea, and stated that she was to find out who murdered three employees at the local freak show.

 

"I read in the paper that one of the sideshow attractions in the show escaped-and the same day he did, three men were found murdered. There is, obviously, overwhelming evidence that the escaper is the one who killed them,"

He is, Cheesemaster thought, his thought almost frozen from this sudden outburst from Shirley.

"...I must find the man responsible. Now, young man. Cheesemaster. That's your name, correct?"

"Y-Yea," he said, surprised.

"I see. Odd name. Anyhow, I read that your friends were there when the tent lit on fire and the crime must have happened."

"I was there, too. Just not around the front." He thought for a moment and came up with a lie. "When we were watching the show, the chimera-his name's Edgar-he escaped. We went to find him-"

Shirley stared at him intently, and then loosened her posture. "I see by the look in your eyes and your stance that you found him, and witnessed the men's deaths."

Cheesemaster gasped, and then cleared his throat. "I-Yea," He said, lying again. "I saw them get killed."

Shirley and Aloysius stood at the edge of their seats, listening to him. Cheesemaster had never felt quite so bad in his life-he hated to lie, and he hated to be telling them about how his friend was, to put it bluntly, a criminal.

 

He cleared his throat again, and took a drink of his tea to calm his nerves. Shirley obviously had a way of reading eyes. He sighed and told her the details of the murders as though he had witnessed it.

 

"I didn't see Edgar after that, though," He said, lying again. He made sure not to keep eye contact with her. She leaned back in her chair.

"Very well then," She said, "Thanks for your help." She drank down the last of her tea, packed up her violin, and got up to leave.

"Shirley-"

"Yes?" She asked, turning around.

"Please don't tell anyone that I helped you with this case. I...Prefer my secrecy."

"Very well. Good-Bye," She said, running out with Aloysius trailing after her and saying his goodbyes as well.

 

Cheesemaster looked at Edna and back. Edna sighed sadly. "Do you think Edgar will be OK?" He asked.

Cheesemaster ran his fingers through his hair reassuringly. "Yes, he will."

 

--------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster and Edna walked outside to a busy street, and just by chance had Leguan, Alienfreak, and Kat run into them.

"Leguan, Alienfreak, Kat-" Cheesemaster began, but Kat exploded on him, asking for thanks for distracting the crowd earlier.

"WHY DON'T YOU THANK MEEEEE?" She yelled.

"Thanks, thanks! Don't yell at me!" He said meekly. Leguan smiled.

"Ve vere looking all ofer for vyou," He said. "Vat vere you doing?"

"We found Shirley and Aloysius," He said, "And had Tea here. And you?"

"Looking for vyou, I juzt zed zat."

"Well, no time to just stand here. It's past five. You had tea with Shirley for a long time," Alienfreak commented. "Well, our trip to the zoo was ruined...sorry, Edna."

"It's OK," He said, "Tomorrow it'll be Mr. Leguan's turn to pick where we go."

"I alvredy know vere I vant to go," He said, and he leaned back, his hands behind his head. "I vant to go to ze Thames Forezt near here," He said. "To zee vat kind off plants et hes."

 

"Well, we can do that if you want. Though tomorrow we have to get back to the Port of Cheese, and you and me have to take the ship back home to the island," Said Alienfreak.

"But that means you don't get a day to do what you want us to do!" Said Edna, shouting.

"It's OK. Me and Leguan decided together to go to the forest."

Edna sighed sadly. There was not much more talk before Cheesemaster heard a familiar cry nearby.

 

"Extra, Extra! Bizzah penguin rebellion at Hindenbuhg Zoological Pahk to-day! Suidshow attraction escapes, may have muhdehd three employees! Dark Time for Hindenburg! Read all about it!"

"Don't need to read all about, we've seen all about it," Cheesemaster muttered, but he grabbed a coin out of his pocket anyway and threw it towards the boy hawking papers.

"Here," He shouted, and the boy smiled, throwing one back at him with a cry of "Heh you go, Gov'nah," And they continued walking as Cheesemaster read what the paper had to say about the recent events.

 

" 'HINDENBURG CIRCUS-Yesterday a curious and frightening spectacle happened when, during the final act of a sideshow performance where the latest addition to the lot, a chimera known as Edgar Alan King (age 14?) was attacked by an audience member, whose identity is yet unknown. In a fit of anger Edgar violently attacked the child with Walrus-like tusks. The teen-ager was dragged away by three employees who were later found dead of head trauma, poisoning, and a broken spine just behind the circus tent. Moments later the tent burst aflame, causing a scene of panic. Through unknown causes every sideshow attraction inside escaped alive. On the scene we have two women and a man who were witness to what happened, Leguan (age 24-no last name was given), Amara Kjemiker (age 22), and Kat Dacatis (Age 145).

 

"Yea, man, we totally saw that tent go up into flames," Said a confused Miss Dacatis. "I'm glad I didn't catch on fire. I'm a member of People who Prefer to Not be On Fire (PPNOF), and I've been fire-free for over a year now."

Leguan also spoke: "Me and my friends-these two, but also two young men, who I wonder where they are now-were inside, when the attacks happened and the room caught on fire. We were all extremely distressed."

 

If you see this boy, please take him to the authorites.' "

 

Shown on the page was a Wanted Poster of Edgar, his name in full view, the picture a close-up of him with two shotguns in each hand and bloodstains on his quills, tusks, and glasses lenses. A tidy sum was up for whoever could find him.

 

Cheesemaster flipped to the next article, but not before looking at Kat curiously. "Age: 145?"

"I swear to Optimus Prime and MacGyver that I did not tell them that. I told them 15."

"OK, then," He said, and then read aloud the article about the Penguin attacks. On the page were three large wanted posters for Sheena, Redwing, and Grim; the pictures were all of their human forms.

 

" 'HINDENBURG ZOOLOGICAL PARK-Just in light of the events that happened at Hindenburg yesterday, another terrifying yet bizarre case of events happened at the local Zoological park to-day.

 

A perfectly normal educational stroll through our town's celebrated zoo would become a nightmare of bizarre proportions when the penguins in the penguin house broke out of their exhibit and began attacking anyone in sight. All victims are unavailable for comment; they report that their sanities were stolen by the penguins and have been admitted to the local asylum.

 

Involved in the case was a British man and woman as well as a young Soviet boy, whose names are The Grim Hamster Lord, Sheena, and Redwing respectively and allegedly. The three were seen at the scene of the crime when the penguins attempted to attack several young men who escaped via climbing the walls of the Park, and announced their plan to "Steal all the Sanities and Rule the World".

 

It is highly advised that if you see these three, please take them to the local law enforcement; the two adults are bad enough with their plans to overthrow and replace government, but the younger boy, Redwing, is a reported Communist supporter.' "

 

There were more to both articles, but Cheesemaster ignored them-they were just more rehashing of facts and witness reports. Cheesemaster flipped through and saw a Wanted Poster for Dead Deep, picturing him sticking a gun down his mouth as he flipped off the camera; of course the Conservative Hindenburg had the poster censored, but it was still too obvious what was there. Luckily, there were no Kat posters.

 

 

 

 

[this story will probably end in the next chapter or so.]

[Mushroom_king]

Mushroom_king woke up one morning not too long after Cheesemaster ended his adventure in Hindenburg. However, she was many miles away, on Mt. Jazzeh. It was getting on to the end of May, and Summer was almost here. The seasonal bubble around the Mansion was showing signs of Summer, but the outside mountain of course was not changing at all-still covered in snow. It never changed.

 

Arkcher was not in their bed, which normally was odd; but she knew that as of late he had been busy working on his nano-technology. She'd seen his NanoRadio and was currently building her a nanoMP3Player. He birthday was coming up-it was not far behind her Cheesie friends-and he said he promised to have it done by then. So he had been spending many sleepless nights working on it.

 

It was taking him longer than usual, he said-Cheesemaster had been busy helping Leguan and Alienfreak with their airship, and Aloysius had been in Hamsterdam helping Shirley Locke with her cases, as well as probably spending time with Solrai. So he'd been working alone for most of the project. His father had left notes for him to read about Nanotechnology, and while he was doing fine, it was just slow.

 

But right now, Arkcher was not working; he was almost done, he just needed to decorate it and then ask for Cheesemaster as well as Aloysius's advice on how it could be improved, and that could wait. He sat back in his chair, his eyes shut; his mind suddenly drifted back to when he was still in school.

 

He thought of Jeff and Paula-well, Paul; she preferred that name over her real name. He wondered if they missed him; he hoped Thomas wasn't beating up Jeff.

He almost laughed. Jeff and Paul had become great friends-she would protect him if Thomas or Edvard tried to pick a fight with him. Though he would never admit it, Thomas was scared completely of Paul. He wouldn't admit it even on his deathbed-he'd never admit he was afraid of being beaten by an American, and a poor one, and a girl no less.

 

The same year that bring your father to school day happened; Arkcher, Paul, and Jeff were in their dorm on a Saturday. Most of the boys in the school would get permission to leave the grounds and go somewhere for fun, but Paul and Jeff didn't quite have the money to do so. Arkcher knew that if he phoned home and asked, his father would oblige, but his mother would then call yelling at him.

 

As much as he missed his father, and his sister Sharona, and Derringer, and maybe even Mint, Arkcher had to admit he didn't quite miss his mother.

 

Paul was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her glasses desperately needed a cleaning. Her tie was untied, her shirt wasn't tucked in, and her belt was loosely done up. That was the way she wore the uniform on the weekend; she said it was more like what she wore normally.

 

Jeff sat on his bed, studying, while Arkcher sat on his playing a video game he had smuggled in his suitcase when he had came there years before. He suddenly stopped, and looked over at her.

 

"You know, Paul-" He said, and she didn't move, though she let a soft grunt showing she was paying attention.

"Even though I was born right on top of it, I've never been to America-except to Texas, and I don't regard that place as Earthly."

Paul sighed, and laughed. "Ya might not want moi apininion av what tha states have gawt ta' owffah," She said, leaning up and starting to clean her glasses on her shirt.

 

"Lemme tell ya somethin'-why I don't go to tha girl's school."

"Oi always thot it wos because you didn't fit in theah," Said Jeff, smiling.

"Ya sowt'a correct," Said Paul. "Oi'd go thea, and thea' be oowl these rich little bratty b*****, ya know what Oi'm tawkin' about?"

The boys nodded.

"Oi'd tell 'em, 'Oi'm from New Yoik!' and they go awn and awn about rich desoignahs and Broadway and celebrities." She sighed angrily. "Oi'd tell 'em, No, no, I ain't from dat pawt of tha state! But they'd still go awn and awn about deyah dumb desoignahs, and deyah dumb Broadway musicals, and dey don't know nutting about wheyah Oi even came from!"

 

"That, and all da goils theah, all gihly-goils, Oi was da only one who waddint afraid'a gettin' a nail broken in a fight."

Arkcher looked over at her. "By the way Paul, how did your dad get you into boarding school?"

"He had da money saved away," She explained, "Plus a lotta it was from da job Oi had." She paused. "I wohked at a lotta different places, in case ya wonderin'."

 

Arkcher sighed and fell back onto his bed. "But from what you said before, the way they stereotyped you-Canada isn't all hockey and Maple syrup," He said quietly. "I don't even say 'Eh'."

Jeff shut his study paper into his book and set it on the nightstand. "Same heah with my country," He said, wrapping his arms around his knees. "Not all tea and top hats,"

"My dad drinks tea," Arkcher commented. "And, uh...he wore a top hat to formal events."

"I'm not saying theh ahn't people like that," Jeff laughed. "Just not everyone."

Paul sighed, and then sat up on her bed. "Oi'm bored. Whoy don't we go explorin'," She said, tightening her belt buckle.

 

Jeff got up and looked at her, puzzled. "To wheah?"

"Ah dunno. Whoy not go see what we can do in dis town?"

"Or in the school," Said Arkcher.

Paul did up her belt buckle, but didn't tuck in her shirt or tie her tie; she knew a teacher would yell at her for it, but she liked doing that.

 

Arkcher stopped remembering for a moment, and then a brand-new thought popped into his head.

 

How long had Paul been able to keep up her disguise? The teachers, and the other boys, must have noticed if her shoulders stayed rounded and her voice stayed high-pitched. The thought of them finding her out and transferring her to the girl's school scared him-not only because of Jeff's safety, but because of the fact that she hated it there. He made a mental note to use the Universal Database to try and contact them-soon.

 

The three walked out of their dorm, only to see Thomas and his friends walking down the hallway as well. Paul narrowed her eyes at him, and he at her; Jeff cowered behind his friends, and Arkcher stood in front of both of them. Thomas flipped his red hair and laughed.

 

"And vat might you be doing? Heading out?"

"Dat's exactly what we'ah doin'," Retorted Paul.

Thomas laughed again. "As iff I'll believe zat? You and Jeff are far too poor to be going anyvere."

"What's dat saposed ta'mean?" Paul shouted, restrained only by Arkcher's arm.

"Exactly vat I zed," Said Thomas, glaring at her. "I azzume Ahrrow vill be paying for both uff you?"

"We're only going exploring-" Said Arkcher, for lack of a better term. "We were gonna go out to town-or maybe just go around the school-"

"Go around the school, yah?" Said Edvard, his eyes sparkling with menace. "You'll get yahselves beat by the senior boys."

Paul laughed heartily and sarcastically. "Me, get beat boi tha seenyah bois? Ha! Ya kidding, ahn'tcha ponytail-boy?"

Edvard was held back only by Thomas. "Ya, I think so! What's it to ya? Once'ey see a little boy who's alrready got 'is glasses, you'd be fresh meat to 'em, girly-boy!"

"Ya better shut'cher mouth about moi glasses, shorty!"

"You better shut yours about my height!"

"F****!" Shouted Paul.

"You're the f*****, with your girly figure and high voice! If I didn't know better I'd say you WERE a girl!"

"Dat's IT!", Shouted Paul, lurching her way out of Arkcher's grip and tackling Edvard.

 

"Now then, we don't have to dew this, yew know," Charley said, standing over them. Paul stopped for a moment, and, while still laying on the floor, kneed Charley-she had aimed for the knees, but had kneed him in the groin instead. Charley fell to the floor, and Salvator backed away from the scene, watching at a safe distance. He's been talking frequently the entire session, but mostly just little comments egging Paul and Ed on to fight. His Italian accent had gotten thicker in recent years.

"I don't want to get any bloodstains on my beautiful, stainless clothes, or get dragged into the fight and get my clothes mussed or my hair messed up," He said, though he continued talking behind the noise. A small crowd of boys who were still at the school gathered around, cheering the two on, and some got out their phones and called any boys who may have been in other parts of the school or in town to come and see.

 

Paul, much to Thomas and friend's shock, was the one who was 'winning'; he had Edvard pinned to the floor, and had a great less wounds then him. Not only this, but due to that fact that a good slap on the back would reveal her secret and that she was too poor to afford new glasses, she had learned to move around during a fight so she wouldn't be hit in the back or the face. Ed was bleeding from multiple places, mostly from where Paul had punched him; his uniform was in tatters, his perfectly combed hair mussed and the ponytail holder becoming loose. Charley had barely made his way in between Arkcher & Jeff and Salvator & Thomas. He still wore the expression of severe pain. Thomas and Jeff both grabbed a shoulder to make sure he was alright, but Thomas scoffed at Jeff, and sternly told him to not touch his friend.

"But Thoomas, Oi think iht's bettah if all foh of yew helped chamfhat me, as all foh ahf you ah my friends..."

 

The fight between Paul and Ed still raged, until a teacher came over and lurched Paul off of Edvard, with resounding shouts of "Hey! Hey! STOP IT!!" with Paul and Edvard shouting their regional insults to each other. Ed wiped the blood from his mouth, and Thomas and Salvator came over to help him stand up. Charley would have helped too, but he was not exactly in the mood to move around.

 

Thomas glared at Paul as Salvator looked Ed up and down and made sure he was all right. His teeth gritted, and his fists were clenched, and he opened his mouth to insult Paul more, but decided against it as not to get in trouble. He was still bitter that Paul had caused him the one stain on his school record.

 

Arkcher's memory was suddenly halted when he heard the bell ring for dinner time; he shook his head to get his head back in the real world, said over the intercom he would be right up there, and made his way up.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Over dinner, Mushroom and Arkcher discussed life, as well as birthday plans.

 

"If you must know, your gift is just about ready," Said Arkcher. She grinned.

"Well, it's good to know you've been hard at work." She sighed sadly. "I kind of wish I had something to repay you with, though. But my gift is my song," She said, and she started to sing softly, "It may be quite simple, but-now that it's done..."

Arkcher blushed a soft pink, and looked at the floor. "I-It's fine, Mushroom," He stammered. He blushed harder, and then tried to imitate his father. "It's like Aloysius always says, a good gentleman must never ask for payment from his lady," He said. Then he laughed and added, "I guess it would be the sam vice-versa, too."

"So what will we be doing for my birthday, anyway?" She asked him, changing the subject. "Maybe fly out to Hamsterdam and eat out at Planet Horatio?"

Arkcher folded his arms, and smiled. "Well...I was thinking of taking us to that fancy place that dad brings Solrai to all the time. What's it called-ah, yes, Eyfergaht."

"Odd name."

"Yea, more ancient-sounding than fancy-sounding. But either way, it's a really nice place, and I kind of wanted to take you there..."

"And then what?"

"What do you mean, then what?"

"I mean, what will we do after dinner?"

Arkcher smiled. "We'll go to Planet Horatio to open presents. I already know Vanilla, Dana, and Dawn will be there, Cheesemaster and Edna, Horatio of course misses no birthdays...Kat...maybe some other people. I dunno."

"Well, I guess that's fine with me. Those are my best friends, though Blood Queen is kind of mean and her boyfriend is scary. But it's still good, plus Who are You is pretty good with birthdays."

 

Arkcher laughed, and told her he would be downstairs putting the finishing touches on his project. "It may take me a while to pick the perfect finish. If you need to, you can go ahead and fly down to Hamsterdam-"

"All by myself?"

"Well, you'll have your sanity to keep you company."

MK laughed and headed off to bed, while Arkcher headed back down to the underground lab.

 

------------------------------------

 

The next day, MK woke up a bit late, remembered she was supposed to go to Hamsterdam today to wait for Arkcher, and fled to the Wardrobe Room to get dressed and pack clothes; PMM was not even half ready to wake up and get moving already. MK promised he could sleep in her psyche all he wanted, but he had to come out if he wanted to play any video games.

 

MK went down to the lab to say goodbye to Arkcher before she left, even though she'd only be in Hamsterdam about a day without him, assuming he got his project done on time. She walked down, but was surprised to see he was not at his work bench. He couldn't be upstairs eating breakfast; he had gone up the night before and grabbed himself a cereal box and milk carton as well as a bowl and spoon to eat in the morning so he wouldn't have to go upstairs.

 

MK sighed sadly, and was about to walk out when she turned around and saw Arkcher standing in front of her. He clutched her shoulders, causing her to drop her suitcase. He brought her closer to him, and her head fell onto his chest, and her hands near his broad shoulders, but he lifted her head up so she was facing him. She backed away from his chest, but her hands moved up to his shoulders.

 

"Even though I'll only be alone for one day-" She started, but Arkcher leaned close to her face.

"I know you'll miss me, even if it is just one day." He said, laughing, as he slowly moved closer to her face and kissed her.

 

He slowly moved his head back up and then wriggled her out of his own grip. "I'll miss you as well, but it is only just one day."

 

She agreed with him, and left to catch the plane.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Mushroom got to Hamsterdam not long after the small incident in the Lab of the Mansion; it was raining heavily and it did not seem to be stopping anytime soon. She pulled her green coat close to herself and walked on, trudging towards the Best Friends of Horatio Club for room and board. Horatio had recently taken the kind action of allowing some Invisionists, if they were poor or only planned to stay a short time, to stay at the Club Building. She stood by the side of the road, wishing she had brought some rain boots, and hailed a taxi.

 

Not long after she did, a yellow car with a checked line down the side drove up, splashing water about, its windshield wipers waving every couple of seconds. MK climbed into the front seat and took out her black Pink Floyd wallet to find a price with the driver.

 

"You're Mushroom_king, right?" Asked the driver. She said yes, and looked up-she saw the face and recognized it from Planet Horatio, though she did not know its owner; it was Roger. An unlit cigarette dangled out of his mouth.

 

"Y-yes, I am," She said again. "I didn't know you were a taxi driver."

"I do a lot of things," He said, as he began to drive. "Waiter, pianist, and now cab driver. What next." He sighed, and took out a lighter. "You don't mind if I smoke, do you?"

She shook her head.

Roger kept a hand on the wheel as he lit the cigarette that was hanging out of mouth, rolled the window down a bit, and blew the smoke outside.

 

"So why are you even here?" He asked, coldly. She tensed up a bit.

"My birthday is coming soon. Me and my husband were going out to dinner tomorrow night," She said, "And afterwards to Planet Horatio for presents."

"Sounds good to me," Roger said bluntly. "Here, this is your stop, isn't it? Best Friends of Horatio Club. And right across the street is Planet Horatio. I'm performing tonight, should you want to come."

MK payed Roger, with a tip as she knew he was poor. "Thank you, maybe I will come for dinner."

Roger saluted her, and then drove off.

 

----------------------------------------------

 

MK walked inside, and after a round of hello's and how are you's, she got up to a small but comfortable room on the second floor of the Club.

 

A few hours passed, until it was lunchtime, and she was about to head out, when she found two other friends of hers were staying; she had set her bags in her bedroom when she ran into them.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster-" Cried Edna, looking behind him just to see their friend come out of her room.

Cheesemaster turned around, and smiled wide when he saw her.

"Hello there, Mushroom," He said, his head almost swallowed by his scarf and black coat. "Fancy seeing you here. Guess you came here early for your birthday already?" He said, laughing. His cap was still dripping with water.

 

"Y-yea, I did," She said. "Where were you about to go?"

"Just going to go out for a while." He then turned a faded pink and put his hands behind his back, and asked her, "Where were you planning on eating dinner?"

"Planet Horatio."

"Oh," He said. "I wanted to try that new fancy place tonight. I think it's called Eyefergaht, or something."

"Oh," She said. "W-well, Arkcher was going to take me there tomorrow."

"H-he was?" Cheesemaster said, looking and sounding shocked. He looked off into space. "I see. Well, nevermind-"

"No, wait!" She said, running over to him. "Why don't we just go to Planet Horatio? Even though we're going there tomorrow for cake, we aren't eating there. We could go there!"

Cheesemaster turned back around to her, and looked at her shyly. "That sounds perfect. I'll come by when I'm ready to go."

She agreed to this, and the two ran down the stairs and went where they were intending to go.

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster came back to the Club long before Mushroom did, and he and Edna ran upstairs to their room so they could get ready.

 

"Are you sure you want me to come?" Asked Edna, as Cheesemaster got dressed in front of a mirror.

"What do you mean? Of course I want you to come," Said Cheesemaster, not looking at him.

"Oh," Said Edna, and then he smiled. "I thought you wouldn't want me there on your date."

"My what?!"

"Your date with Mrs. Mushroom," He said.

Cheesemaster stopped for a moment. "My what?!"

[Mushroom_king]

Cheesemaster sighed in a way mixed with anger and desperation. "Edna, how many times must I tell you that I see her as my friend and nothing more? Besides, if I did-feel that way, nothing would come out of it."

Edna sighed. "I think you're a better match for her then Mr. Ahrroww."

Cheesemaster gasped. "Edna, don't say things like that. Arkcher loves her very much."

"But does she love him back?"

"Of course she does!"

"How do you know?"

Cheesemaster paused. Edna was about to resound with 'I told you so' when Cheesemaster said, "Well she tells me that she does."

"What if she's lying?"

"I trust her to not lie to me, Edna." He said sternly. "Now come on, we have to get going. Looks like it's still raining," He said as he buttoned up his coat and adjusted his hat.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster knocked on the door to MK's room to make sure she was ready, and the two left with Edna tagging along at a long distance.

 

"I forgot my umbrella when I came here," Said MK worriedly. Cheesemaster smiled warmly and took out his, opened it up, and placed it so it completely covered her.

"T-Thanks," She said, as they began to out of the Club. "But you're going to get wet."

He laughed as a large raindrop fell onto the lenses of his glasses. "A good gentleman offers his umbrella to a lady in the rain if she doesn't have hers, even at the risk of himself getting wet." He stopped when they reached the road, where he offered her to hold onto his arm as they crossed. When they got to the other side, he continued, "And offer his arm to her when crossing the road..." He then walked over and held the door for her and Edna. "...And of course hold the door for everyone."

"Thank you," She muttered shyly. "But you don't really have to..."

She stopped when she saw him run back to the door and hold it for another woman who was coming in out of the rain. The woman came in, glared at Cheesemaster, and then smacked him. She muttered something about how she was independent and didn't need his help, and stormed out.

 

MK ran over to Cheesemaster, who assured her he was alright.

"How rude," He muttered, looking at her as she stormed off into the swirling fog.

Edna was about to run out and give her a piece of his mind, but Cheesemaster stopped him, saying that was not the smartest thing to do and he must simply let it go.

 

The three walked in, and were instantly taken aback when they saw that many of the tables had games of cards going on at them, and Roger playing against Who are You in a game of Billiards; Schimmi was playing with Graf Von and Cutie Puppet at Darts.

"Hello, you three!" Said the voice of Kat. She tried to sound happy but sounded more angry.

"Something wrong, Kat?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that The maaaaan won't let me go play the drinking games over there...or play Poker with those guys...or darts...or billiards....plus he won't let me watch that Gilligan's Island marathon on TV."

"What's going on here, Kat? This isn't a casino-" Started MK.

"It's just Game Night. We've been having this for like one day now, haven't you noticed?"

"No, Kat, we haven't. It looks kind of fun, but...I don't gamble."

"Too bad then, because we're gambling with just about every one of these games, except Billiards and Chess-"

"Did you say chess?!" Cheesemaster said excitedly.

"Yea, there's Checkers too," She said, pointing to a small dog. "But we have the game, too."

"I prefer Chess, though Checkers is fun too when I don't feel like thinking quite as much. It still requires a great deal of thought to play of course, but not as much. But I digress-where are we going to sit?"

 

Kat ran over to a small seat over in the corner, where not as many games were being played; they saw Roger slouched in the booth next to the Jukebox; he'd gone over there when Schimmi and Graf Von gave up their darts game to some other customers and joined Who are You in Billiards. He sat back in his seat, cigarette resting in the ashtray as smoke billowed up, a song probably playing on the Jukebox. Kat sat down her three friends to the booth directly in front of Roger's booth.

"Alright, well I'm Kat-I'm reminding you, but mostly I'm reminding myself because I had an identity crisis the other week and thought I was Thomas The Tank Engine. Anyway, I'll-HOLY ICELAND, THEY'RE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE!" And with that she ran off.

 

Cheesemaster sighed while MK laughed. "Looks like someone else will have you serve us," Said Edna, giggling.

"I may just be your man," Said Roger getting up and walking over to their booth. "What is it ya want?" He said, getting a wrinkled notebook out of his pocket.

"For now, we just want some drinks," Said Cheesemaster. "Unless you wanted something already, Mushroom."

"No, I'll wait. I want to pick," She said, glancing at the large, laminated menu on the table. "I'll have a soda."

"A glass of water," Said Edna.

"A glass of water and some tea," Said Cheesemaster, taking off his coat and scarf. "It's coming right up," Said Roger. "Think I can remember that without writing it," and he left.

 

Edna was looking behind him at the games that were going on; The only people he recognized were Kat, Dead Deep, and Redwing, all three of which were at a table passing a gun around. Cards and chips were scattered on their table as well. Schimmi, Who Are You, and Graf Von were switching between Darts and Billiards, just next to their booth. Cheesemaster, curious to see what Edna was looking at, also looked-and quickly (but gently) shoved Edna's head back to facing forward.

 

"You can't watch that, Edna-" He said, and he himself looked just in time to see the gun passed to Dead Deep.

Dead Deep made a motion as though he was sighing, and stuck the gun in his mouth. Cheesemaster gasped, and tried to keep his eyes closed, but couldn't.

Dead grinned and pulled the trigger. A loud BANG was heard through the entire building, quickly silencing everyone, and Edna, wrestling his way out of Cheesemaster's grip, looked.

 

Dead Deep smiled again; and shouted in a state of intoxicating happiness, "BY GOD, That was exciting! Haven't done that in AGES! If that makes me the loser of the game, then F*** DO I LOVE LOSING!" He was obviously still alive (wait, what?), somehow. Kat stood up.

"You mean, zombies don't die when you shoot them in the head?!"

"Did I get shot in the head?"

Kat said nothing, until she looked around. "But now there's a big mess here. Hold on," She said, taking out a purple spray bottle and a yellow towel. The rest of the player's eyes went wide, but she went on with whatever she was doing.

 

"Hold on, I'll fix this. First I'll spray some Kaboom, and then I'll wipe it up with ShamWow-"

Another large BANG was heard.

When the customers looked, they saw the Russian Roulette players completely covered in ashes. The stains were gone, but an explosion had happened-somehow.

Roger stomped over to Kat, put his fingers to his forehead in frustration, and shouted, "Kat. How many times have I told you..." he lifted his head and began screaming at her, "YOU DO NOT USE KABOOM AND SHAMWOW TOGETHER BECAUSE IT CAUSES INTERDIMENSIONAL TIME WARPS?! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO CREATE THOSE, AND HOW HARD IT IS TO GET RID OF THEM?!"

Kat looked at him. "Making Time Warps is hard? I always thought it was just a step to the right."

Roger gritted his teeth; you could see that his forehead veins were about to burst. There was a very long, awkward silence, until the Invisionists heard a voice that the reader hasn't seen in some time-The Breakfast Monkey.

 

"You know, I'm really beginning to like this planet!" She shouted, smiling. "It's quite exciting!"

Roger heaved. "Whatever. Just...just...You know what, you did that to me, I'm pulling the same s*** with you now, Kat."

Roger put down the tray of drinks he was carrying to Cheesemaster and Mushroom and grabbed a piece of bread off the plate of one of the Roulette players. He smeared butter all over it, grabbed some duct tape out of his pocket (he conveniently had it!), and taped the toast to Kat's back.

 

There was a long silence again. "So, uh, what was thaAAHHHHHHH" she shouted, and suddenly began spinning rapidly. Edna gasped.

"What's happening to her?!" he shouted, about to get up, but Cheesemaster stopped him.

"Don't you know, Edna?" Asked Mushroom. "When you put buttered toast on the back of a cat, it turns into antigravity. Unlike Dividing by Zero, though, it doesn't cause massive rifts in time and space."

"But how is that possible?!" Shouted Edna. "That isn't physically possible-"

"Edna, haven't you realized by know that Kat is capable of breaking the laws of reality anytime she wants, and usually without even realizing that she's doing it?"

Edna sighed. "But how?"

"Well you see, Edna," Cheesemaster said, sounding miserable, "Cats always land on their feet, while buttered toast always lands butter-side down. Attach them and you create anti-gravity. Also, we're extremely lucky-that cleaning accident only caused an explosion, and not a time-space rift, which is what usually happens when Kat does things."

"I've noticed," Sighed Edna. "But how is she going to get out of it this time?"

"Well, she could just reach and take the toast off of her," Muttered Cheesemaster, "But knowing Kat she'll more than likely find some needlessly complicated way of going about it.

 

Edna sighed. Roger came over, exasperated, and slammed their drinks to the table and then walked off. Who Are You, Graf Von, and Schimmislick were giggling.

"Well, tonight's been exciting, that's for sure," Said Mushroom. She then smiled and said, "Glad we came out here."

 

"Hey!" Roger suddenly shouted, standing tall in the middle of the room, still sounding angry. "Who wants a free sub sandwich? I'm giving one away with every punch in the face!"

"I do! I DO!!!!" Shouted Kat, still spinning in the fit of antigravity. She groaned a few times but managed to spin her way over to Roger, who punched her directly in the face, successfully knocking off the buttered toast and freeing her.

 

"SUCCESS!!!" She yelled, and got her sub sandwich from Glowurm. "Free sandwich AND I'm free from my fit of antigravity!" She then checked her watch. "Oh, no! I missed the Gilligan's Island marathon! It's not too late, though-I may not have access to a time machine, but there's still Underwater Santa Claus Xtreme BMX Water-Balloon Toss to tune into!!!" She said, and ran over to the corner of the room, where a dusty TV from the early 90's sat abandoned on a small, poorly-nailed in shelf. She climbed up, and flipped through the channels, until she found the channel showing Underwater Santa Claus Xtreme BMX Water-Balloon Toss.

 

"And right after this show, we still have the Shooting Gallery Dance Recital competition to tune into," She said. "And after that, there's a marathon of The "Zombie Stealers" saga, where they'll be showing Zombies Stole my Cookies, Zombies Stole My Crutch, Zombies Stole my Christmas Tree, Zombies Stole my Silverware, and Zombies Stole my Bike back to back with no commercials! And after that there's the soap opera "The Elegy of Bananaman and Sometimes Bootman", and then there's that documentary about Pyramid Head's cousin Traffic Cone Head, and then a full hour of music videos from Kitty Keyboards in Space, and then there's that documentary "Star Wars: Where Are They Now?" But I've already seen that-Vader became a violinist, and Chewbacca became a Republican-so when that comes on I'll be tuning into that preacher who talks about Cheesus, and when that's done I tune back to this channel, where there'll be a news special about how Great White sharks have learned to walk on land and use guns and now frequent ball pits, the kiddie pool, and wishing fountains, and then there's Cannibal Chef, and then..."

 

"OK, Kat, I think you're pretty much booked for the night," Shouted Roger, still bitter.

"No, no! Then after that there's Lawl and Order, the Internet Show, and then there's the comedies "Squirrels on Steroids", "Mimi The Meme", and then there's Fight Time, where they're gonna show Billy Mays taking on Vince Offer, and then there's the musical movie, I forgot the name, but it has Patrick Stewart and Dick van Dyke in it. Oh, and there's the documentary about how a military base was attacked by giant tacks and radioactive sailors, and, uh....oh yeah, the Watching Grass Grow Show. I think that's it until 7 AM tomorrow, when they'll start "Internet Week".

 

"I can't wait for that," Muttered Roger, fuming. "Now sit down QUIETLY and don't cause any more trouble!!!"

Kat sniffled. "Why do you have to be so mean to me you big jerk?! Now when I get home I'm gonna duct tape myself to a christmas tree, then cover my entire body with duct tape, and then put a body bag over my head, and then go to the moon so I can go be emo and alone THERE!" She said, and then slouched in her chair and watched the TV.

 

Cheesemaster sighed. "Some people cut themselves, but Kat, well, she goes to the moon." He said.

Roger stormed off, the drink tray under his arm to a door behind the bar counter.

"I'm going to wash the F****** DISHES!!!" He shouted, his voice suddenly very gravelly-sounding. The moment he slammed the door, by fate or coincidence, Tom Waits started playing on the Jukebox.

 

Glowurm moaned and moved his softly glowing body out from behind the bar, over to the booth where Cheesemaster, Edna, and Mushroom sat.

"Since Roger is-" He coughed, "Busy," he said with disdain as one could hear Roger loudly shouting swears as he cleaned the dishes, "I'll be helping you guys out for tonight, then. I sure hope you're ready to order."

"We are, don't worry."

"Good, now tell me what it is."

The three gave their orders-Mushroom asked for a Black Bat Award, Cheesemaster for a Platinum Moon Award, and Edna getting a Hoop's Story Kid's Meal-and Glowurm hurried off to the kitchen, cringing as he opened the door and Roger's yelling became much louder for the few seconds that the door was opened.

 

"I have to wonder who is the cook here," said Mushroom. "You think Roger does the cooking? Or Woodstock?"

"Woodstock doesn't live in Hamsterdam, I don't think," Said Cheesemaster. "I swore he lived in Taynio."

"Unless he moved in with Glowurm, into his apartment," Mushroom said thoughtfully. The music from the Jukebox mingled with the sounds of Kat's show; the three looked over to see what was happening. A man dressed in a Santa Claus suit was riding a bicycle underwater, using sharks as ramps. Occasionally Kat would make the same jeers that regular sports fans made at the television, cheering for her favorite team and booing the other one-for this sport apparently had teams-cringing at the accidents, and so on. The yelling got louder with every Jig she drank (which Glowurm gladly brought him after he was back from the kitchen.

 

"Didn't Roger say he was performing tonight? Hope he isn't too bitter about Kat to do it," Mushroom said, as they continued to wait for Glowurm to come back.

"His yelling can't be heard anymore, so he may have calmed down," Cheesemaster thought. Edna was slouched against the side of the booth, probably tired. Cheesemaster looked at him and sighed.

"I guess he just should have stayed back at the Club," He said quietly. "You don't mind if I take him back there, do you?"

Mushroom shook her head, as Glowurm set their food down on the table.

"Thank you; I'll be right back," He said as he gathered up his coat and scarf and carried Edna outside.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster carried Edna in his arms to just outside the restaurant, where the rain was yet still falling down. He grabbed his umbrella and made sure Edna was completely covered. On top of Edna was the small bag his food was in; he would have to leave it there with a note to heat it up later if he woke up.

 

Cheesemaster carefully walked across-there were few cars driving about-and walked inside the Cub, which always remained unlocked. He walked upstairs to his room, and carefully laid Edna down on the couch, with the food on the table next to him; he took the notepad, with the Club's logo stamped at the top, and carefully wrote a note telling Edna to heat it up later given that he woke up before morning.

 

Cheesemaster smiled at Edna, covered him with a blanket, and made his way back.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Paper mario Master had, for the first time a few days, finally come out of Mushroom's psyche to stir up trouble.

"God, I feel so much better! I had to sleep for sooooo loooooong because of that week where I lived solely on fried chicken and energy drinks so I could set the world record for most games beaten in the smallest amount of time! I even went the extra mile and beat Through The Fire and Flames on Expert mode without missing anything..." He said, sitting on the table.

 

Cheesemaster walked in at that moment, and saw Paper Mario Master; he suddenly felt bad, as he could have eaten the Hoops's Story Meal Edna was going to eat. But he came closer and saw it was already taken care of; Mushroom was sharing her own food with him.

"Hi there," Said PMM with disdain.

"Well where have you been?" Cheesemaster asked as he began to eat.

"I spent a week playing video games nonstop," PMM said again. "I was breakin' records and stuff."

"That's fantastic-I take it you were sleeping for a few days?"

"That's right!"

Mushroom gave another part of her meal to PMM and as he ate it, she laughed. "I remember when I first met PMM," She said.

"How did you meet him? I always thought you first met him here."

"Oh, no, me and him knew each other back at home."

"Oh," Cheesemaster said softly. "I don't take it you went to the same school, seeing as PMM is too old for High School,"

"Sort of-he was a teacher there."

Cheesemaster nearly choked. "Wait-he was?!"

She nodded.

"Well THERE'S something I never would have expected...." he said, sighing.

[Mushroom_king]

"Yea, well I was! BELIEVE IT!!!" Shouted PMM.

Cheesemaster smiled, but sighed again. "I never would have thought," And then he paused.

"Mushroom, I've never heard you talk about your life back home."

"I've never heard you talk about yours, either."

Cheesemaster's eyes went wide with fright, and his mouth hung agape. "I-well, you know-" he said, stuttering a garbled mess of words. He gulped and said, "I'd rather-"

"It's OK," Mushroom said softly. He smiled at her, and mouthed a Thank you.

"I guess I never have told you about Dreamtopia, have I."

"Not really. I always meant to study it. But I somehow just never got to it."

She looked at him, confused, and then smiled. "I forgot. Your planet doesn't know about other planets yet, do they?"

"Oh, no, we know about other planets, we just don't know about other planets with life on them yet. In fact, most people at home think we're the only ones in the whole Universe."

MK and PMM both gasped. "That's a bigoted way of looking at things!"

"How pretentious," Muttered PMM angrily.

"Well we studied all the planets, or at least important ones. We studied yours, too."

"I think you've told me that before."

She sighed. "It's a sad shame, really, because people from other planets have tried to tell your people that they exist more than once before. But they always seem to have bad luck, because the people who see them are never very reputable. But they're too afraid to land in a crowded space."

"I could see why."

She nodded. "My class went on a field trip to your planet once," Said PMM, sitting on the table in between them.

"Did you go to my country?" Cheesemaster asked, excited.

"Uh, I think so...yea...didn't see you though," Said MK, laughing on the last few words.

 

"But I don't care about that as much as I do your actual planet. Dreamtopia. Odd name," He said.

"Earth is weirder," Said PMM. "Considering there is so little Earth to be found."

"Water isn't an interesting name though. But I digress."

"We can't really complain about the name of your planet because our planet doesn't actually have anything to do with dreams."

"You could say it's more metaphorical than anything," Said PMM.

"But the planet is divided into four different continents, which are all connected by bridges."

"We came from the continent Spesh," She said. "It wasn't quite as populated as the others, though we went to the biggest magic school on our planet..."

Cheesemaster listened, fascinated.

"...We went to Dreamtopia Ma'hu High School. That's the name," Finished PMM.

"I went there with Vanilla, Dawn, and Blood Queen," She said; "But I was the only Dreamtopian Spesh Native. Vanilla came from the Pilz Continent, Dawn from the planet Cullough, and Blood Queen came from the planet Yumo. We had pretty much all our classes together."

PMM laid down on his stomach and said, "Why don't we just tell the story in flashbacks...sort of?"

"Right from the very beginning, you suppose?" She said.

"Just the important stuff."

"Alright then. I suppose I'll start back before I even went to the High School, when I first met Vanilla, and then go to directly to the High School bits."

 

"I was starting school for the first time ever, in what seems like a great many years ago. I was really scared, so I wore what was my favorite outfit to try and comfort me. That outfit consisted of a cutesy pink sweater and cutesy denim skirt with cute kitties on it," MK began to explain.

"This was back in the Dark Ages when little kids still wore clothing that didn't have to have licensed characters on them," PMM said.

"Well Paper, you can't say that considering what I wore the next day. Anyway, I wore that outfit, and it all went really great, but it was very odd, as I saw another little girl wearing the same pink sweater and same denim skirt with cats on it. Except she was a hamster, though not any hamster I'd seen before."

 

"I went up to her and we, two kids who never saw each other before, started yelling happily about how we matched. We didn't care that I was a brownie and she was a giant hamster, we had the same outfit and that was very neat. So we were friendly."

 

"But the next day, I wore another favorite outfit-some overalls, with one of my favorite book characters on it."

PMM interrupted again. "This was back in the Bronze Age when kids liked books enough to wear the characters on their clothes."

Mushroom ignored him. "I went to school, and Vanilla, well, she was wearing the same thing. It reminds me of how innocent I really was. Nowadays I would find it very creepy if something like this happened to me but when you're a Kindergartner it doesn't matter, it was fate. We sat together at lunchtime, put our cots side by side during nap time-"

"Lesbian furry," PMM muttered.

"Paper Mario Master," Cheesemaster said sternly, "That is not the way to talk when a lady or anyone talks of her childhood innocence."

PMM shrugged and MK continued. "Her name was Vanilla Star Hamster. She and her family moved from the Pilz Continent and we always talked about how Pilz and Spesh were different and how someday we wanted to travel to Dotchlip and Suar, that's the other two continents."

 

"So that's pretty much how me and Vanilla met. We've been best friends ever since. But now onto High School."

"Flashback?" PMM said excitedly.

"Let me stop you a moment," Said Cheesemaster. "At home, we get into High School at fourteen-"

"We're not talking about Earth, we're talking about Dreamtopia." Snapped PMM.

MK ignored both of them.

 

"The city we lived in was SummerMeadows. It was an alright place, I guess. A bit boring after a while. The High School was just OK. It wasn't as awesome as it may sound. Even magical school sucks," She said, Cheesemaster giggling.

 

In the background they could hear the jukebox behind them continue to play soft piano music, obviously of Roger's own choosing; Roger himself was nowhere in sight, and they thought perhaps he was preparing for his performance. Glowurm stood behind the bar, alone save for two people slouched on the barstools, as Glowurm cleaned the glasses. In the corner, they could hear Dead Deep (and presumably Blood Queen) with Redwing (who for some reason was not with Sheena or Grim-perhaps they were still in Hindenburg, or had gone home to Outside the Wall already) playing poker; Kat was leaning against their table, watching the TV, occasionally making comments. Who are You, Schimmislick, and Graf Von were engaged in a game of cards; the billiards tables and the dart boards sat abandoned. The Breakfast Monkey sat alone in a booth with Sockysock-the doors weren't big enough for Cadillac to come in.

The doors to the restaurant suddenly opened, interrupting the story MK was telling. She hoped it would be Dawn and Vanilla, but it wasn't.

 

Hoops Ahshirt was followed by Moosey, who had Funky Monkey hanging off his antlers; Mullaypop, whose Lolita-styled dress was bright blue and covered with images of candy, stood by him, and Hoops had her hand clutched on another girl's arm. This girl was a head and a half shorter than Hoops, wore white pants with grey boots and blue-and-white jacket with a single medal adorning it, and a large blue hat to boot. Hoops looked around, saw MK and Cheesemaster, smiled, and dragged the girl over.

 

"Napoleon! Napoleon! Come here, come here," Hoops said excitedly. She dragged the girl over to their table, followed by the moose, monkey, and Mullaypop from a safe distance.

Hoops dragged 'Napoleon' up to the table, and then dragged PMM over to the edge of the table and made him stand up.

"Look, Napoleon; told you there was someone shorter than you."

The girl, whose small and shy features seemed to back away from the group, spoke softly.

"I see zat," She muttered.

Cheesemaster glared in confusion at Hoops and her friend. "Napoleon?"

"Zat is my name."

"As in Bonaparte?"

Napoleon said nothing.

"A woman named Napoleon?" PMM scoffed. "Ehh, I've known guys named Serafina and Edna, shouldn't be a surprise."

Napoleon said nothing.

"I see you're French," Said Cheesemaster, in an attempt to get to know her.

"I am."

"Well, a French family naming their child Napoleon is a bit normal, but I never expected they'd dress you up like him too."

"Napoleon was an exchange student from France who came to Florida," Said Hoops.

"So wait," Interrupted MK who had also been interrupted, "You, a catgirl-thing, went to EARTH SCHOOL with a MOOSE, a Lolita, A MONKEY, and a French person?"

"Yep!"

MK was silent for a while. "It doesn't get much weirder than that, and this was an Earth school!"

Hoops said nothing, she merely stood and smiled, but Napoleon tried to fidget out of her grip and whispered if they could leave yet. Hoops shouted No and dragged Napoleon over to where Moosey, Mullay, and Funky had already sat down.

 

"I can continued with my story now," Breathed MK, not sounding annoyed or flustered.

 

"Anyhow, me and Vanilla went to the same High School together. She was a lot more experienced than me, since she had come from a magical family and had been practicing magic for as long as she'd known-she practiced witchcraft, though, not the offensive/defensive type magic we learned at school. Even so it still made her better suited for the classes, though you know Vanilla, not the brightest-shining CD, not the most-selling of records, not the most seeded of torrents, if you know what I mean."

"I think I know what you mean," Cheesemaste responded.

"Not the brightest of graphics, to put it my way," Said PMM.

MK continued. "But no matter; we had a good majority of our classes together. Let me try and recall my schedule..." She thought for a moment, as did PMM, even though as a teacher he didn't really have much of a schedule.

 

"We had a homeroom class, of course," She began, "Uhhh...I had a music class, which was one of the only ones I didn't have with Vanilla...oh, you don't care about this, this part is boring. Let me get to how I met Dawn, Paper, and Dana."

 

"Dawn we met a little later that year. She was from Cullough, as you know, but her family, for some odd reason, hadn't moved to Dreamtopia; they were still back on Cullough. Me and Vanilla both found it weird, but it was OK, we guessed, since she lived in the dorms at the school-as did we, you know."

 

"We knew Dawn was a Dark Mage; she was in my General Magic class and that was what we saw her do. She was also in my Technological Class-"

"I taught that!" Interrupted PMM.

"-Where she often looked up Gothic poetry and stuff. She seemed cool enough, just our brand of strange. But she did seem off in a way we couldn't place. She didn't eat much at lunch, if anything at all. We saw she never came out on sunny days-we'd heard it was a doctor's order because she had sensitive skin. It was only when we were learning about them in class that we wondered if Dawn was a vampire. She eventually told us herself, when she, uh, helped us out in a situation. Me and Vanilla, I mean."

 

A situation?

Cheesemaster wondered what she meant by that. But he didn't have long to think, since she continued her story.

 

"Now, PMM didn't actually become my Technological teacher until about halfway through the year, after meeting and befriending Dawn; the old teacher, well, we never found out what happened to him. We heard rumors he died, but we never learned the truth. But PMM became our teacher and I still remember how it went."

 

Mushroom, Vanilla, and Dawn took their seats in the front row of the medium-sized room, wondering where the teacher was. They looked around-everything seemed normal enough. The walls still had the slightly-tacky-yet-still-cool bright blue paint on the walls with a pattern painted in dark blue, a pattern that made the wall look like a microchip. The computers were still on the desk. A giant poster of the Technology Magic symbol was still on the wall-a poster like that was in every room. The drawings and photographs of the students were still tacked to the bulletin board near the teacher's desk; the textbooks about Computers and Technology Magic were still in the desks. The only difference, was a small desk-calender on the teacher's desk, with video game factoids on each page, plus a Nintendo DS, a Game Boy, and PSP on the desk. Perhaps that was what today's lesson was about; but the girls shook the thought off. They wouldn't be studying Earth technology on Technological Class, they would study it in their Astronomy Class-maybe.

 

The bell rang and the students quieted down, and out from behind the desk came a small boy in a green suit and blocker glasses. MK nearly gasped, as he resembled a game character she knew of. One student whispered "Leprechaun", but only a select few, the ones who really studied Earth (such as MK) knew what he meant.

 

"Alright class! Your old teacher is not here, obviously, he has quit, and I am taking over." Said the boy, who, judging by his voice, was not a boy at all. A few kids gasped.

 

The man/boy jumped up, grabbed the rope of the screen, and pulled it down with his weight. He was so small that he clung to it and was just the right weight to bring it down.

 

"Today's lesson, I believe, will involve you learning how to find reliable information about Magic on the Internets."

 

A hand raised. "Yes?"

"What's an 'Internet'?" Asked a student.

The teacher scoffed. "It may be an Earthen Invention, but trust me when I say it may be an invention that will and has changed lives all around the Universe."

MK's hand raised.

"If it's an Earth invention, and Earth does not hold contact with other planets, how has the invention spread?"

"DUH," Said the teacher, mockingly, "By aliens going to Earth and stealing it. Now students," He said, as he jumped up onto a footstool, "Turn on your computers and I'll go through the lesson..."

 

PMM clapped. "That's how it began! I was such a kickass teacher."

"But how did you become friends?" Asked Cheesemaster. "And what about Dana? You show a lot of disdain towards her, yet you are friends with her, I'm curious as to-"

 

An enormous CRASH even louder than both of the explosions earlier combined was heard and the customers began to scream. Cheesemaster, MK, and PMM stood up and turned around to where the noise came from; a sight they'd never seen before befell them. An enormous hole had been torn in the roof of the restaurant, and a...well, a monster was the only way to describe it. They'd never seen anything so big outside of the dragon Kyo, but she was kind and would not tear open the restaurant. Plus, the monster looked nothing like a dragon, it looked more like-

 

"GREAT CTHULU WHAT IS THAT?!" Screamed Kat, "IT DESTROYED THE TELEVISION! RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COOL PART! NOW I'M PISSED!!!"

 

Kat took out her giant claymore, and probably some of her Mafia members for help, but Cheesemaster had more important things to be worried about. He turned to MK and grabbed her.

 

"You need to get out of here," He said, "Do you understand? Take Paper and get out of here! I need to make sure Edna is OK. Get everyone out. NOW!!!"

"OK," MK said, and he ran off through the door, yelling for people to evacuate.

 

MK looked down at PMM.

"You know what we need to do," He said.

"Even though Blood Queen, Vanilla, and Dawn aren't here?"

"We'll be fine. Come on, let's go-where should we go?"

"The kitchen or the bathrooms, pick."

"Kitchen."

The two ran quickly into the back kitchen and made sure nobody was back there; MK took the golden heart-shaped pin off her jacket lapels, and PMM took his golden-heart shaped pin off his cuff link.

 

MK held the pin up high, as did PMM with his.

"I hope this still works," She said. She shut her eyes. "Heart of the Pink Sea Transforming Power!"

"God, this is so lame...Heart of the Metallic Dream, Transforming Power!" Shouted PMM, sighing.

 

The obligatory long and drawn-out transformations happened, with MK now wearing a longer green coat with bows on the ends, rainbow suspenders outside her jacket with music notes for clips, suns for adjusters, and a heart on the back of it, plaid pants, and a newsboy cap; PMM now sported a green sweater and pants.

 

The two turned around, looking at their outfits. "Look fine to me," Said MK. "You have your weapon, right? Your keyblade?"

"Sure do! You have your guitar, right?"

"I do."

"Then let's go."

[Mushroom_king]

Mushroom and PMM ran out of the Kitchen, and back into the main area of the restaurant. The giant Monster-whatever it was-had driven out every other customer.

 

The two didn't know where the monster came from or why, and knew that if it came from where they thought it came from, their lives were about to get much more complicated.

 

"Alright. Remember how we do this," MK whispered. She grabbed her guitar off her back. "I hope I do." She muttered to herself. She slung the leopard-print strap of the tye-dye patterned guitar (she never really asked why her guitar was so odd-looking, since she secretly really liked it) and began to pluck at it.

 

"God **** it," She muttered, "The thing hasn't tuned in forever. I was told it never needed tuning."

"So I gotta take this thing on while you **** around with that?!" PMM said, desperate and irritated already.

"Please," She said.

He heaved angrily. "Fine then," He said, raising his keyblade triumphantly into the air, and then swinging it towards the monster as a strange blue series of magical numbers flew out of it.

"Code 404!" He shouted.

MK tugged a the tuners of her guitar, which for some odd reason were shaped like flames. And green. But no matter; she had done this many times before and was ready to fight in no time, just as PMM sliced at the monster with his keyblade.

 

"Hurricane rock!" Shouted MK, as she played a familiar riff on her guitar. A medium-sized storm flew out of it and hit the monster, causing it to scream from the pain; and the two of them decided to finish it off right away.

 

The two launched their Sound Voyage attack, too which the monster died-and for one reason or another, vanished. The damage to the building was still there though.

 

MK and PMM sighed, and their costumes melted away into their normal clothes; they ran outside as discreetly as possible, where the crowd was wondering where the monster went and Roger & Glowurm were lamenting the property damage. MK knew Horatio would be more than happy to help out, but in the chaos it didn't cross anyone else's minds.

 

MK was so busy examining the crowd that she didn't notice at first Cheesemaster calling her name, and then wrapping his arms around her (and PMM, in a minute) in relief.

 

"Mushroom, Mushroom, I'm so glad you're alright. Edna was sound asleep but his food was gone, he must have eaten it and then gone to bed again." He slowly pulled his arms off of her, his face slowly turning a soft pink. He looked down at PMM and was about to hug him too but knew PMM would not be happy about it.

 

"Ugh, this is just terrible. We were having a good time, everyone was, until that happened. Where did it even come from?" He said, looking over at where the monster had been. Kat was sitting on the ground, dazed; her claymore was out of its holder, and she stumbled as she tried to get up. The combination of the events of the night, the gambling, the TV shows she had watched, and of course the alcohol was taking its toll, and no one was really sure if it was a good thing or bad thing.

 

She stumbled past a group of shocked people who were about to head back to their homes, and walked over to MK and Cheesemaster. She held up her arm, which a red sleeve had covered; the sleeve of her trench coat fell down, revealing a stump on her arm. Cheesemaster gasped and MK nearly fainted.

 

"K-K-K-K-Kat!!! What happened to you?!" Cheesemaster said, his voice shaking.

Kat looked at the stump where her paws had once been, and her eyes grew enormous in a split second. "WHERE THE **** DID MY HAND GO?!" She screamed, turning it over as though doing so would conjure up a new paw.

"That monster must have cut it off," MK said, her face shocked but her voice nonchalant.

Kat's face suddenly brightened. "SWEET! Now I can get that hook hand I've always-"

And just as suddenly as it had vanished, her paw popped out of her wrist. Kat made no change of expression, although her three friends were completely shocked.

"Kat!!! You just re-grew your hand!!!" Cheesemaster said, shocked and amazed at the same time.

Kat sighed sadly. "No hook hand for me, I guess..."

"Do you know what this means?!"

"Yea," Kat said, looking at her hand. "It means I'm a starfish!!!!" She said, happy, but then became sad again. "Still not as good as a hook hand."

MK sighed and was about to fall down due to exhaustion, if Cheesemaster had not caught her; he noticed PMM was tired as well, and picked him up.

"Mushroom, do you need me to take you back?"

"That's nice of you, but I can do it myself." She said, picking up PMM, despite his objections. "I'm really tired, so good night."

Cheesemaster looked sadly at the wreckage.

"Don't Roger and those others live there? Where are they going to go?" He whispered.

"Horatio will more than likely give them rooms at the Club," Said Kat, yawning. "I'm gonna retreat to my BoxPartment."

 

Cheesemaster sighed, and decided it would be good to remind the Planet Horatio employees that they were welcome at the club while the restaurant was being repaired-a process that was already underway, and then headed back up to the club to make sure Edna would be alright.

 

--------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster woke two hours later. It was Three in the morning. His breath was heavy and his nightmare still heavy in his brain.

 

The sounds of Dead Deep's gunshot had haunted him like an old, bad memory, and had reminded him of one. One only himself knew about.

 

He put on his glasses, grabbed a flashlight and a book, and began reading until he was tired and felt he could go back into a peaceful sleep.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster awoke the next morning to find Edna already up, smiling a smile that told him he was up to something.

 

"Good morning, Edna," Cheesemaster said very sleepily as he put on his glasses and climbed out of bed.

"Good morning, Mr. Cheesemaster." He said, and Cheesemaster glared at him, smirking.

"Well Edna, what are you up to this morning?" He sighed.

"Nothing. Just heard you thrashing about in your sleep last night," Said Edna, still smiling.

"What?!"

"I'm the one who should be asking that, what were you having a bad dream about?"

Cheesemaster gulped.

"I heard you say something about your mother, and 'Don't Shoot'. Was your mom shot?"

"Certainly not!" Cheesemaster snapped. "My mother was never harmed as far as I know!!"

"At least you knew her," Edna murmured quietly so Cheesemaster couldn't hear him. He paused. "Why don't you ever talk about your mother and father?" Edna said, as Cheesemaster got his clothes on and prepared to meet Arkcher and MK later.

"Because I don't like to talk about them," Said Cheesemaster bluntly.

Edna heaved. "At least you have some to talk about so why don't you take advantage of it!" He said, near-yelling, and Cheesemaster, trying to keep his cool, threw himself down on the couch.

"Edna, I'll tell you someday when you're older-"

"No! I want to know now! I'm not going to wonder anymore! I'll just look you up on the Universal Database should I have to!"

"No, Edna, don't-" He paused, and then, to change the subject, asked "Edna, did you wake up sometime last night before I came back? I saw your food was gone."

Edna stopped. He turned around and was smiling that smile again.

 

"I wasn't really tired, you know," Said Edna, walking towards him.

"Y-You weren't?"

"Nope," Said Edna.

"Then why did you pretend you were?"

"I wanted to go back to the Club."

Cheesemaster looked at him, confused. "But why? You could have just said you wanted to go back, and why would you want to come back here? Weren't you having fun? Did you sense the monster attack? If you did, why did you not tell us?"

"I didn't, promise. I wanted to go because I felt like I was ruining your date and because I felt you deserved some alone time with Mrs. Ahrroww."

"EDNA!!!"

"But that's the truth!"

Cheesemaster sighed. "Never mind. I'm going down to Planet Horatio to see if everyone's OK. You coming?"

"No, I'm really tired, for real this time."

"Alright then, I'll be back in a little bit."

 

------------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster walked downstairs to the lobby, outside, and across the street, where construction to rebuild the restaurant. Everyone was talking about the monster attack last night-except Kat. There was a surprise. She stood in front of a large cardboard box with all sorts of buttons and levers drawn on with a Sharpie. Cheesemaster didn't particularly want to know what Kat's latest genius plan was, as it would more than likely end up in massive carnage, explosions, things being destroyed, and other things that Kat did in her free time.

 

But he was dragged over there anyway, when attempting to walk over to the restaurant's performers, she clutched his arm and literally dragged him towards her to show him the box.

 

"Cheesemaster! Cheesemaster!" She was shouting the whole time, and was only stopped by him answering "What is it?"

"I built a Time Machine," She said nonchalantly. She pointed to the box, which was big enough for about five people.

 

"It's powered by solid Plutonium and Garnets, runs at 88 Miles Tops, which is quite excellent, but your safety isn't exactly guaranteed when you ride it. Have I made enough time travel-related references yet?"

He nodded, and Kat was about to say "I see you do not believe, let me test it out-" when he shouted "NO!!", loudly enough for the others to turn and look.

 

"What's goin' on?" Roger shouted as he lit up a cigarette, and Who are You smiled. "Looks like Kat built something."

"A Time Machine, to be specific!" Kat replied.

Schimmi grinned. "That sounds like something relevant to my interests," He said.

"Mine, too..." Sighed Graf von. Cutie Puppet was with him as well, and the puppet patted him on the back and told him to forget the past.

Schimmi ran over and literally slid when he almost past the 'time machine'.

"So, Kat, gonna try it out for us?"

Kat nodded excitedly. "I sure am."

Cheesemaster looked concerned. "To where?"

"I was thinking that I could go to last night to see what destroyed that big Lovecraft monster thing, or to Biblical times and meet Jesus, or to the beginning of the world to see how that #### went down, but instead I'm going to travel to ten minutes ago."

"I see you're taking the fact that you invented a supposedly working Time Machine that could do wonders for the world very seriously and that you are putting it to good use," Cheesemaster sighed, his glasses beginning to slip off his face as he placed his head into his hands.

"I sure am," Kat said.

 

Kat opened the cardboard door of her time machine, and sat on a very thick cardboard bench. She 'flipped' and 'pressed' the Sharpie buttons and levers, and Schimmi and Cheesemaster were both shocked when, as Kat shut the cardboard door, the 'machine' began to shake. Cheesemaster suspected Kat might be shaking the box herself, but before he could even finish the thought, the box vanished.

 

"Where did it go?!" Schimmi yelled, as the others came over and looked. Cheesemaster was stunned.

"That's impossible," He muttered, shaking his head, and his legs gave out and he fell to his knees. "That's impossible! It was-it, card-it was made of cardboard!!!"

"And marker," Roger said, lighting up a new cigarette after his old one had fallen out of his mouth.

"Cardboard and marker! Those levers-the buttons-were pictures! How could this-?"

A giant flash appeared and the box re-appeared. Kat climbed out, with a photograph in hand. She showed it triumphantly and smugly to everyone. The picture was of her and herself, from ten minutes ago.

"Shopped," Roger said, turning away.

"I don't even know how to use Photoshop, stupid," Kat said bluntly.

"I know, I just felt like being a killjoy." Roger said, smiling. He glanced over at the picture.

"I demand a ride in the Time Machine," Cheesemaster said, with a smile so wide you'd think it'd go off his face.

"OK, I'll tell you how to use it and you can go by yourself."

Cheesemaster frowned for a moment, but then lit up again. "Uh, I guess that's fine."

But the scene was interrupted when Kat, in a fit, took out a lighter and lit the box on fire. No one questioned why; they knew Kat more than likely didn't have a reason for it. But Cheesemaster wanted to know.

 

"Kat!! What the-" He stopped and cleared his throat, to keep himself from swearing, but it failed-"What the **** did you just do?! You built a working time machine! Out of CARDBOARD! Why did you destroy it?!"

Kat stared at him blankly. "I can build another," She said softly.

Cheesemaster's legs quivered beneath him. He'd just woken up and something extraordinary, yet somehow familiar oddly enough, had happened to him.

"Kat," He said, his voice no longer in a yelling tone, "How did you do it."

Kat shrugged. "I dunno. I was bored, and I was watching the Time Travel channel (where they play nothing but shows and movies about Time Travel). They were playing 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure' and I thought that was one cool fricking phone booth. I wanted one. I searched all through town but couldn't find a phone booth like it to mod into a spiffy time machine, so I built my own out of cardboard and drew a Flux Capacitor and stuff on it, and I went inside it, and I did some make-believe play, and...well, it just worked."

 

Cheesemaster stood in disbelief. He couldn't believe that was the whole story-even though it was. Kat shrugged and told him she couldn't put it any other way.

He nearly choked with excitement, but he decided to hold his astonishment in. For Kat, this was completely, 110% Normal. You could see the confusion in her eyes as she was questioned. Kat was completely unaware that the things she did were strange to others, and she now seemed very much unaware that she had just traveled through time simply by make-believing.

Like a child, Cheesemaster thought, She was just playing make-believe like a kid but what she made up was real. That's a dangerous power if I ever saw one.

"So you just made-believe like a child would, but it happened?"

"Guess so, unless I hallucinated it."

"You couldn't have hallucinated something that we saw in your photograph."

Kat shrugged, and took the photo out of her pocket. "I swear I didn't shop it. I really can't use Photoshop."

"I believe you, Kat."

"Thanks, no one seems to believe me about anything, and it sucks. Like this morning, for instance. I got up, and for once in my life I didn't get stuck in an alternate dimension or the 50th Level of #### like I usually do on my way to the bathroom. But when I opened up my box of Watchmen Crunch, an enormous nuclear explosion came out of the box! It left behind a ton of nuclear powder, which tasted really good in my milk. I didn't tell anyone because no one would believe-" She cleared her throat by this point-"That Watchmen Crunch really exists. I edited it out of my story to everyone else."

 

Cheesemaster sighed, but smiled at her anyway. She was a good friend, and he tended to believe what she did, no matter how ridiculous it was.

He sighed and re-adjusted his glasses. "I wonder how Mushroom is doing. Probably still sleeping."

"Her Birthmas is today, isn't it?" Kat wondered.

"Yea, it is. She's going to dinner tonight with Arkcher at Eyeferghat, that weird fancy restaurant that just opened up. Then she's...well, she was supposed to come to Planet Horatio for cake and gifts, but the way things are going that seems unlikely."

Kat brightened up. "Fried Dragon Palace?"

 

Cheesemaster smiled warmly at her, but her momentary happy expression suddenly vanished. "Oh, NO! Now that I don't have a Time Machine anymore, I can't go back to last night and watch the Gilligan's Island marathon I missed! Oh well, I have the series on DVD."

"I'm gonna go check on Mushroom," Cheesemaster said; "I'll come back in a little bit, I may want to help with the construction."

 

-----------------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster walked back up to the second floor of the Club and knocked on MK's door, to which she swiftly answered, PMM limply clinging to her shoulders. She looked like she had just rolled out of bed.

 

MK stood on her toes and stretched, followed by PMM doing the same (while still on her shoulders, making it rather awkward and uncomfortable).

"Uh, did I come at a bad time?" Cheesemaster asked, pulling the sleeves of his shirt closer to his body.

"No no, it's fine, we just woke up..." MK said sleepily.

"You sound really tired. You should probably go back to bed."

"No, no, let me get a soda and I should be fine."

"Mushroom, if you don't get enough sleep you'll get sick, and you can't have that happening on your birthday."

MK's eyes shot open. "Bon Jovi, I forgot it's my birthday today! I have to get ready, Arkcher's supposed to be here at least around ten."

"Mushroom-"

"Sorry Cheesie, I have to get ready. I'll take a nap later or go to bed early."

"Mushroom-!"

But the door was shut in his face before he could wonder what she was going to do about the wreckage that Planet Horatio had become.

 

He sighed, and walked back to his own room to check on Edna. He walked inside, where he found Edna laying down on the couch, fully dressed. His eyes were open, and when he saw Cheesemaster come in he sat up and looked at him.

"Good Morning Mr. Cheesemaster. Did you wish Mrs. Ahrroww a nice Birthday?"

"I was going to, but she seemed to have forgotten that today was her birthday and went to get ready for when Arkcher comes here."

"I woke up about an hour ago," Said Edna, getting up, "And I've been waiting for you since. I wanted to read a book but I forgot to bring any and the ones you brought are too hard."

Cheesemaster laughed. "Well, hopefully when we get back home we can go look around for some books for you."

Edna smiled and gasped. "You really mean it? That'd be great?"

Cheesemaster nodded as he pulled off his sweater and coat and hung them up on a coat rack. "I'm going to go see if there's anything I can do to help them rebuild the restaurant. Are you coming, Edna?"

Edna nodded. "It's better than just sitting in here bored, I guess."

 

"Alright, then. You've already cleaned up, right?"

Edna nodded.

"Come along, then."

 

The two ran downstairs, Edna chasing Cheesemaster, only to have Cheesemaster run into Arkcher, who had just arrived, suitcases in each hand.

Cheesemaster backed away, only to have Edna come to a screeching halt behind him. He cleared his throat, smiled, and said, "Hi there, Arkcher, Mushroom was looking for you."

Arkcher brushed away something from his jacket and smiled back at him. "Nice to see you, too. I finally finished the present I'm gonna give her," He said, and sat down at a couch that was in the lobby. Cheesemaster remained standing up.

"She said she was getting ready-"

Arkcher whipped his head around and glared at his best friend.

Cheesemaster gulped. "I went up to her room-"

Arkcher's glare only became dirtier at this statement.

"I went up there to wish her a happy Birthday, and she came to the door and she was really tired."

Arkcher slowly stood up. Cheesemaster knew he was suspicious, and he also knew he had to keep it a secret that he and Mushroom had gone to Planet Horatio last night.

"Why would she be tired? She doesn't stay up that late, she stays up till eleven at the latest."

Cheesemaster glared back at Arkcher from over the rims of his glasses.

Arkcher finally cracked a smile that instantly ridded his voice but not his expression of the impending paranoia. "Well, I'm sure it's no big problem. She should be upstairs, right?"

Cheesemaster nodded.

"Alright, well, I'm going to go see her. Where were you going off to?"

 

"I was going to go help with the construction over at Planet Horatio-you saw the damage, right?"

Arkcher nodded. "Horatio told me what happened. It's terrible-we might not be able to go have cake and presents there tonight."

Cheesemaster smiled shyly. "There's always Fried Dragon Palace," He said.

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher sighed and smiled at his best friend. "Maybe. I can always check if Eyeferghat books parties, though it may be a bit late to book one."

 

And with that, he picked up his briefcases and headed upstairs to see MK.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

A knock was heard tapping on the door of MK's room, just as she was getting her green coat on. She shouted to the visitor that she would be there in a moment, hurriedly threw on her coat, and ran over to the door, with PMM following in her tracks.

 

She swung open the door, and asked "Who is i-" But looked up, and saw her husband standing there, briefcases in his hand. She shyly put her hands into her pockets, and stood out of the way for him to come in.

"You came here earlier than I expected," She said after they exchanged hellos and hugs, as she shut the door.

Arkcher set his suitcases on the coffee table and looked at her. "I was getting rather lonely up at the Mansion," He said, "And I was beginning to miss you."

MK sighed. "I was beginning to miss you, as well," She said, and considered but quickly discarded the thought of adding "Cheesemaster kept me some company, though," For more than one reason.

Arkcher walked over to her and gently clutched her hands. "Well, there's no more need for you to miss me, now that I'm finally here."

She giggled happily and threw her head onto his chest, and he asked her, "Well, what do you want to do until later tonight?"

 

MK thought for a moment. "I don't know, go for a canal ride I guess? Or go swimming? The weather is very nice, especially compared to last night. It was pouring the entire time, even when I arrived. And then we could go to the record store or something," She suggested.

Arkcher let go of her, and put an arm around her shoulders as they walked out. "Whatever you want to do, Mushroom."

 

 

The two of them left the Club, and waved to Cheesemaster and Horatio, who had started working on Planet Horatio. They couldn't promise the building being finished by that night, but they would still try as hard as they could. Kat was nowhere to be found.

 

Arkcher and MK first went to one of the city's Canals, where they purchased a ticket to tour the canals. They were pleasantly surprised to see Kat, too, was on the canal ride-the same boat as them, even. She was staring at her foot in awe.

"Hello there Kat," Said MK politely as they sat down next to the edge of the boat, next to Kat. An awkward silence followed, until Kat sat breathlessly, "I never knew I had that," She said.

 

Arkcher sighed and put his face into his hand. Kat looked up at them, and attempted to lean back, only to remember that the seats on the boat, sadly, did not have backs. She pouted for a moment, and was probably about to say something, but was stopped by a very long and repetitive speech on safety in the boats. Finally, the tour started, with MK leaning her head on Arkcher's shoulder while Kat talked.

 

"So I was ordering a pizza earlier today for Breakfast," She said, "And they put the crust on the bottom and not the top like I asked!! I was so angry."

"What'd you do about it?" Asked MK.

"Duh, I put a severed horse head in the manager's bed."

"Er, no, what'd you do with the pizza?"

"I don't remember, but I think I either blew it up, blended it, or smoked it. One of those three."

"So what'd you have for lunch then?"

"Filet Mignon with a side of Pork Rinds."

"Er..." The other two said in unison. Kat opened her mouth to say something, but was once again interrupted by the announcer.

 

"On your left, you can see the world-famous Hamster Chic building. This building was relocated from Tokyo, Japan and Dallas, Texas on Earth, both of which were in turn relocated from Onthra."

An audience member raised their hand.

"Yes?"

"How were the buildings relocated if they were so big? Also, is this building both of the old buildings combined?"

The woman at the front leading the tour nodded, and explained how the buildings were relocated with combined magic and teleportation, or something similar to that-Kat, MK, nor Arkcher were paying much attention. The boat continued down the Canal.

 

"So, anyway...uh, where was I? Oh yeah, I recently went to see Dr. Choc. Have you ever played with the toys in the waiting room? All there was were two torn up kid's books, a doll, and a bunch of Legos. I was almost done with my scale models of landmarks from all over the galaxy, when I was called for my appointment. When I came back, some stupid-arse kid had come, knocked down my buildings, attempted to eat the bricks, and choked and went to the hospital. The only reason I was completely angry and didn't destroy the world was because they were playing Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood on the TV. I watch that show on the Earth channels sometimes. In accordance with the Prophecy," She concluded. The boat then stopped again.

 

"Here you can get a very good look at Invision's Legal Buildings, where the Rabbitt brothers work as Lawyer and Prosecutor in every single one of the court cases filed here. A handful of other lawyers and prosecutors also work there."

"Don't see why we'd even stop there," Mumbled Arkcher with disdain, as the boat continued to move. Kat continued to talk, leaving no room for MK and Arkcher to speak with each other.

 

"Anyhow...well, I don't have very many other interesting things to say, in accordance with the Prophecy."

MK sighed happily as she closed her eyes, her head still on Arkcher's shoulders.

"Arkcher-"

"Wait, wait!!! Last weekend I spent the whole Caturday pretending I was a trash-can, in accordance with the Prophecy."

MK sighed. "Sounds fun," She breathed. The boat stopped again, this time very abruptly.

 

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we appear to be having a problem- a hole has appeared up ahead in the river."

"That's what she said," Said a voice. Arkcher groaned. "You mean a whirlpool?" He shouted up to the announcer.

"No sir, a literal hole has just opened up in the center of the river."

Kat looked at Arkcher with narrowed eyes, and then leaped on him, sending MK flying off him and Arkcher nearly falling over the side, and shouted "YOU SON OF A *****, YOU DIVIDED BY ZERO, DIDN'T YOU?!" She paused and murmured "In accordance with the prophecy"

"Miss-" Shouted the announcer, but Kat pointed accusingly back at her.

"Shut up, you kept interrupting me! Also, today is my friend's Birthmas and a little hole probably leading to **** is NOT going to make you stop and ruin her day, is it?! In accordence with the prophecy?!"

The announcer was silent as Arkcher and MK slowly got up. Kat looked around at the people staring, raised her arms dramatically, and said "YOU SAW NOTHING!!!! IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROPHECY!!!!!!"

Nothing seemed to happen, but the people stopped looking and wondered why the boat had stopped or why Kat was standing up, and why Kat was running towards the door that led below.

"Miss, you are not permitted to go in there."

Kat ripped off the announcer's name badge. "Now I am, in accordance with the prophecy," She said as she scanned it. She quickly took out a Sharpie and scribbled, "No, I'm Kat" on the name badge over the announcer's name.

 

Arkcher and MK sighed in unison. "I'm not sure if this is horrible or incredible," Said Arkcher disdainfully.

"I'll remember it forever," Said MK happily. "I do wonder what Kat's up to-"

Kat suddenly emerged with two large paddles, like ones used in canoes. No one knew why they were down there, but they tried not to question it either. Kat got a roll of duct tape out of her pocket and jumped to the highest point of the boat.

"Kat, what in God's name are you doing?!" Shouted Arkcher.

"I saw this in a video game once! In accordance with the prophecy!" She shouted as she taped the paddles to the top of the boat. Once they were firmly taped down, she spun them.

"Kat, you can't spin those when they're taped to the top of the boat!"

"So can to, in accordance with the prophecy," Muttered Kat. Remarkably, the paddles began to spin.

"Yes...YES!" She shouted.

"What do you plan to do?!" Asked Arkcher.

"I'mma turn this boat into a helicopter, in accordance with the prophecy." She said nonchalantly. She looked over at the hole in the ground, examining it. "Yes. it's very much the result of dividing by zero. In accordance with the prophecy."

"What prophecy?" Wondered the announcer.

"Kat, that isn't even scientifically possible! The physics-"

 

Arkcher nearly fell down when, to everyone's amazement, the boat lifted about an inch off the ground. Kat directed it safely over the hole, and it landed back on the river with a splash. MK laughed very loudly as a splash of river water fell on her, even though it stained her jacket. Arkcher was dumbfounded, and quite angry, even though something miraculous had just taken place. Kat ripped off the paddles and ran back down below deck.

 

"Here you go Jee-Off-er-ee," She said. The man looked at her in disdain. "Thanks for letting me borrow them, Jee-Off-Er-Ee."

"It's 'Jeffery'," Said Geoffory.

"No, I see your name tag. It says Gee-Off-Er-Ee. Not Jeffery." She thrust the paddles on Geoffory and ran back up, and sat down like nothing happened.

Arkcher stomped back to their seat, and the announcer, her voice trembling, barely stuttered out that they would now be continuing the tour.

 

"How did you do it?!" Arkcher said, frustrated and angry, to Kat, just as Cheesemaster had asked her earlier.

"I dunno," She said, shrugging. "I just did. I saw it in a video game once and wished I could do it myself."

"So you imagined it and it came true?"

"I dunno. I guess so. If I did, that might explain why I once saw my Invisible Friend and he was certainly not Invisible nor was he imaginary. Though I strongly believe I hallucinated that time."

Arkcher shook his head. "Kat, you can't just DO things like that with no rational explanation. Either the planet you came from had different physical laws than most, or you used a type of very strong magic that you didn't know you had."

"I'm pretty sure I can't use magic," Kat said bluntly.

MK sighed, as the Announcer, her voice still trembling, told the tourists about the Forum Forest as the large jungle appeared in the distance.

"Arkcher, if you were so keen on having everything obey the laws of physics, you wouldn't be alright with me doing magic."

"I'd be OK with what Kat does if she would admit she uses magic," He said sternly.

"I'm not using magic," Kat pouted.

"If you're not, then how are you doing things like that?!"

"Arkcher, this is no day to argue," Whined MK. He sighed, and muttered, "I guess you're right."

 

He scowled back at Kat, who looked bored as the Canal Tour neared its end. MK wondered about the hole in the river, and realized that whatever may have caused it was certainly the same force that had sent the monster to attack Planet Horatio the night before.

 

----------------------------------------

 

Arkcher and MK climbed off the canal, as Kat ran off to who knows where. Arkcher put his arm around MK and asked, "What do you want to do now?" He secretly hoped that this time Kat would not be wherever they were going.

"I guess we'll go to the record store now," She said quietly. Arkcher grinned. "Then that's where we'll go, I guess."

 

The two held hands as MK ran off, nearly dragging Arkcher along, towards the record store, a large two-story building filled to the brim with CDs, tapes, MP3 players, and music DVDs, shirts, buttons, and books. Because it was her birthday and all, Arkcher felt that he needed to buy her any CDs she may want, but then felt that would be spoiling her. Besides, she didn't ask for anything, telling him that she didn't want to buy anything that she may get later.

 

The two walked back out, when MK screamed in happiness and broke from Arkcher's grip, as she saw Vanilla, Dawn (who held a lacy parasol), and Blood Queen, who was with Dead Deep. MK hugged all of them, even though Blood Queen hated being hugged.

"Happy Birthday Mushroom," The girls said in unison, followed by Dead Deep (who glared hungrily at Arkcher's head). MK grinned.

"What are you two doing out, anyway?" Asked Blood Queen, her eyes wide for no apparent reason at all.

Arkcher smiled and stepped forward. "Me and Mushroom are out until dinner tonight. I'm taking her to Eyeferghat," He explained. Vanilla made an annoying, high-pitched scream. "Oh My Gosh! That's so great!"

Dawn stared at Vanilla with disdain, but smiled anyway. "Sounds very sweet of you, Love."

Arkcher looked at her oddly. "Love?"

Dawn laughed, embarrassed. "Oh, sorry. I've been calling everyone that lately."

Blood Queen laughed as she clung onto her own boyfriend. "Me and Dead were walking around town, seeing how many little kids we could scare the **** out of."

Arkcher groaned and glared at the two as they laughed to each other, but flipped his hair and found it best to ignore them. He would never really understand why MK was friends with such people, but he would have to ignore it for now until the explanation came.

 

"Where were you going to go right now?" Asked Vanilla, her large eyes still sparkling.

MK thought for a moment. "I'm not entirely sure. I was thinking of taking PMM to the game store, but I think he's still asleep..."

"Am NOT," Said PMM's voice, as he popped out of nowhere and onto her shoulders. Even though everyone knew why this happened, it was still very odd to suddenly see him appear like that, as though he had teleported. "And I would greatly enjoy going to the vihjoe james store."

"I thought you already owned all the video games!" Said Vanilla.

"New stuff comes out," PMM said, "DUH."

Vanilla groaned. "You say that like I'm dumb or something,"

The group talked some more, until Arkcher, wanting to get a move on, dragged MK and PMM away and said they'd see each other later.

 

It was about Noon, however, so of course Dawn brought up the question of where Arkcher and MK were having Lunch.

"Is there really anywhere else besides Planet Horatio to go to?" Asked Vanilla.

"Of course there is, stupid," Said PMM. "There's Mama Luigi's."

Arkcher tried not to giggle.

"The **** is your problem, girly boy?"

Arkcher shot him a glance but said nothing.

"As I was saying, there's this Italian place called Mama Luigi's. We ought to go there."

"I wonder if they brought any secret weapons?" Wondered Arkcher.

The girls giggled, and Dead Deep looked around. "There wouldn't be a T-Virus Cafe around here somewhere, would there? I don't do spaghetti."

Blood Queen playfully shoved her boyfriend, but scowled at him. "This isn't Longdon, Dead. I told you to bring some snacks."

Dead Deep shrugged and sighed as the others walked off and told Blood Queen where the restaurant was so she could find them later. "Can't I go on one little cannibalistic rampage? I heard there's a vampire just outside of town, I'll bet they're used to stuff like that."

"I told you not to eat that take-out I got for you!" She said, heaving as Dead heaved her up onto his shoulders and the two ran to Mama Luigi's for lunchtime.

 

------------------------------------------

 

Arkcher, MK, PMM, Vanilla, and Dawn walked into a small, bustling Cafe decorated with Italian flags. No one else recognizable sat at the various round tables or in the red-cushioned booths. A waiter in a polo and jeans walked up and took the group to a table-they decided they could push two together (even though they were circular tables), for Dawn and Vanilla, and Blood Queen and Dead Deep if they decided to show.

 

"It's a nice place, I didn't even know it existed." Arkcher commented, his head in his hands as he looked around. MK and Dawn took the black cloths holding their utensils, unfolded them, and placed them on their laps.

"Arkcher," Said MK, "Put your napkin on your lap. It'll keep food from staining your clothes."

Arkcher did so, thought a confused, boyish looked spread on his face as he did so. "Really," He said, smiling a bit. "Who taught you that?"

"Dawn always does it," She said. Cheesemaster did too. "Guess I picked it up from being at her house all the time?"

Vanilla giggled and put her napkin on her lap as well. "I never noticed!"

The five of them all talked together, the subjects raging from recent events to what MK wanted for her birthday. Oh, just music, maybe some games or band t-shirts, when the door opened and Blood Queen appeared. Dead Deep was nowhere in sight.

 

"She's with us," MK explained to the waiter, who nodded and mouthed "Oh," and motioned for Blood Queen to sit down. She did so, taking a seat with Vanilla and Dawn; she leaned her chair back against someone else at a table next to them, her high heeled feet up on the tabletop. The customers looked at her with disdain.

 

"Sorry I'm late. Dead didn't want any spaghetti, as you can imagine, and since Planet Horatio is temp-or-ar-ily out of service, he can't have any of their cannibal specials!"

"But that's only on Cannibalism Night. Besides, I don't think they serve brains."

"He said he might file a lawsuit for discrimination against Zombies," She said, looking angry.

"So where's he eating?" Arkcher asked disgustingly.

Blood Queen rubbed her long, blood-red painted nails together. There had been multiple rumors about how she had used real blood to make her nail polish. They didn't really doubt it.

 

"He's in the cemetery," She explained. "Don't worry, he's a good boy who knows to re-bury the corpses after he relishes in their dead flesh. Remember, he worked at a Morgue back home. And a Slaughterhouse!"

"Will you keep it down?!" Asked a man sitting next to them. "We're trying to eat here. My wife just got sick!"

"Stinks to you and your wife." Blood Queen said. "Shut the **** up and live with it."

 

The man groaned, glared at her one last time, and turned back around to pay his bill and leave.

"Dumb jerk," Muttered Blood Queen as he left.

"Well, it was nice of Paper Mario Master to invite us to this restaurant, eh, Mushroom?"

"I hope they're making a lot of spaghetti," MK answered. They both laughed and smiled at each other for a long, long time. Dawn and Vanilla seemed jealous.

 

"I want a boyfriend," said Vanilla. "I don't even like anyone right now."

"I like someone," Said Dawn sadly, "But I can't tell him."

"Oh my Gosh, who is it?!" Asked Vanilla. Dawn whispered something in her large hamster ear.

"Oh-My-Gosh!" Squealed Vanilla, before being shushed by MK for being too loud.

"Oh My Gosh!" Vanilla said again, quieter this time. Dawn nodded, her expression still sad. "Well what's wrong?"

"Just Jakob. He'd be angry if he knew."

"What're you two yapping your mouths about?" Asked Blood Queen.

"We're just jealous of you and Mushroom. You both have boyfriends/husbands," said Dawn, moping.

"Yea," Said Vanilla, "I mean, you have a boyfriend Dana-"

"BLOOD QUEEN!"

"Blood Queen. You have Dead Deep." She suddenly lifted her head. "How did you and Dead meet, anyway?"

Blood Queen scratched her head. "It was back on Dreamtopia, I think after meeting Mushroom but before we became friends. I was attracted to him because I'd dated just about every guy in the school and screwed the hot ones, but none of them were good. I liked Dead for his rebelliousness."

 

"That witch Dana broke up with me," Said a male student, a Sound/Dark mage known as Stanby Foon. In case you didn't notice, Dreamtopians have weird names.

 

"What happened?" Said Foon's best friend, another Dark/Sound mage known as Edin Ninmahr.

"Well, she asked me out. I was all ecstatic, sorta, 'cause I heard she was good in bed but I heard she was a psycho witch too. Like, I heard she has nail polish made from people she kills and everything. I thought I'd enjoy dating a psycho, but she wasn't like other girls I dated, she really was certifiably nuts!"

"What'd she do?" Asked Edin.

"We went to a movie. I read in a book that chicks love sappy romance movies, but she wanted to see this gorey horror movie. She laughed during all the scary parts! And after the movie, she snuck back in to see it again! She said she liked the killing parts best."

"After that, we went to dinner. I read in the same book that chicks like romantic atmospheres. I went to the Inter-Galactic food mall, you know, that place with the restaurants with food from all over the Universe?"

Edin nodded.

"We had pizza," He said. "She pretended the tom-ahtoe sauce-izzat how you say it?-was blood. Later as we drove home, I asked her why she brought a razor, and she said in case she got thirsty."

Edin shivered.

"Now I never knew the witch was a Succubus! I guess that's why I even agreed to date the psycho, she had some kinda Succubi magic over me."

"So?" Asked Edin.

"It stunk," Said Foon. "Except for the after-date sex. She's ******' good at that!"

 

Foon was suddenly shoved very hard head-first into his locker. Edin looked, and saw Dana's hand on his head!

 

"Poser," She muttered. "You say you like psycho girls but couldn't handle me? Then you never dated a psycho girl!"

She clutched his head again, squeezing her nails into the side of his head so hard it cut in and bled. She slammed him against the locker again, then threw him to the floor. It was against the rules to use magic in school, so as much as she wanted to use his now-dripping blood against him, she had to fight the temptation.

 

Dana walked her way to class, knowing she would get detention and not caring. She looked at her nails and sighed. Her polish had chipped. She would have to get new polish.

 

------------------------------------------------

 

After school and after detention, Dana was on her way home from school; who she lived with no one was really sure. But she did live somewhere. She took the long way that day, and passed the cemetery and morgue.

 

She looked up as she passed, and saw men in white coats; coats that read "S.M. MORGUE" on the back in thick black letters. They were carrying a coffin outside to be buried. Dana watched with fascination. Each man's coat was stained with fresh embalming fluids.

 

The men did their work, rubbed their hands together, and were about to walk off when they noticed Dana.

 

"Young lady, what are you doing here? This is no place for you, especially at this hour! Go home!"

Dana laughed smugly, and walked off, head held high. She hid behind a tree, still watching; all the men went back in the large building to hang up their coats and go home-save for one, who stood, hunched over the newly buried body.

 

Dana stayed hidden behind the tree. The man leaned down to the ground, looked around, and slowly began to shovel away dirt. Dana watched in fascination. The man eventually, frequently looking around to make sure no one watched (but never seeing Dana), continued to slowly dig. It got later and later, but Dana never got tired.

 

Eventually the man found the coffin; Dana's eyes widened as the lid was unlatched and raised; the man leaned over and appeared to sniff the corpse. Dana watched, and jumped back when she saw the man, like a hungry dog, lurch down towards the coffin; and she jumped even further back when she heard the rough chewing sounds, the sickening sound of raw flesh being chewed and swallowed. Dana was now intensely curious. She stepped forward; the man quickly looked around, slammed the lid shut, the latch shut, and quickly shoved the dirt back into the hole. Dana knew he may have noticed her, and then felt a sick mixture of horror, fear, and, oddly, happiness. The man would probably look for her-and possibly eat her, too!

 

Dana wanted to run, but she was too curious. She stepped away from the tree a bit, only to run into a body, a body much taller than her. She didn't shiver, shake, or sweat, even though she was very much afraid; she did, however, scream and jump back.

 

In front of her was the man-tall and abnormally thin, unhealthily so. He cheeks and eyes were sunken in. His right eye was abnormally enormous, while the other was normally sized. He still wore his S.M Morgue coat, still stained with the dirt and embalming fluid, and occasional stain of blood. His hair was white, uncombed, and unruly. Dana backed against the tree.

"You're the young lady from earlier, ain't ya?" He asked.

"Yea," Dana said, as bravely as possible.

"Why didn't you go home when you were told to?" He asked, his cold hands clutching her warm upper arms.

"I was curious," She said, as casually as possible, "I, uh, have a thing for cemeteries and the like." She admitted she had sounded quite sultry.

The man's toothy, frightening grin disappeared, and was replaced by a smile that Dana couldn't tell the emotion of.

"I see," Said the man, his grip on her tightening up a lot more. "So you saw me?"

Dana nodded.

"Digging?"

Nodded.

"And opening the coffin?" Said the man, leaning in closer to her.

She nodded.

"And..."

"Eating that dead guy's brains," Finished Dana.

The man cocked his head and looked at her. "You're very good at this."

Dana looked around. "And you are?"

"Dan Deep," Said Dan Deep.

"Dana Lion," She said.

"I see," He said. His face was inches away from hers now, and she could smell the rotting flesh on his breath.

 

"You smell dead," She commented. "But really, I need to get home," She said, as Dan let go of her. "I'll be stopping by tomorrow."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Said Dan, as he moved his tongue over his teeth.

 

 

 

 

The next day Dana, after another day of awkward stares and boys complaining about how crazy she was, she ran and ran until she got to the SummerMeadows cemetery, hoping to see Dan Deep again.

 

She knew he was dangerous - he was a cannibal, after all! He dug up that dead body and ate the entire brain! But she didn't care that much. This seemed like the kind of man who wouldn't mind a girl like her. So she decided to seek Dan out again.

 

Dana (whose name sounds suspiciously like Dan, but I only just now noticed that) waited by the cemetery after school again, waiting for Dan. She waited quite some time, until she heard the crunching of leaves beneath footsteps, and looked out from behind the rotting tree.

 

There stood Dan-still in his embalming fluid-stained coat, his hair still greasy and messy, his eyes still asymmetrical, his smile still twisted into that creepy, yet to Dana oh-so attractive grin. Her body warmed up with excitement. He was hideously scary looking-but she found his hideousness and creepiness just so downright attractive.

 

"Evening Dan," She said, walking out toward him. Her black high heels (which had red paint on the heels to mimic blood) getting leaves stuck in the stilettos.

"Evening, Dana." Dan retorted back. "Glad to see you back again."

"I'm glad to be back here. Do you want to sit down or something?"

Dan still smiled. It almost seemed permanently etched into his face whenever he smiled like that. "Yea, sit down, talk, get to know each other better, sounds all fine-n-dandy."

Dan slithered down the side of the tree trunk, careful not to land on her sharp, sharp heels. Dan sat down next to her. She noticed for the first time the odd, almost mangled appearance of his body. The shoulders were drastically uneven, and he was incredibly skinny, skinnier than her even-though she had more of a curvy body, he was thinner than any anorexic she'd ever seen. He was pale, too.

 

"You're so thin. You alright?" She asked.

He shook his white, knotted hair back and forth. "I'm perfect, thanks. I don't eat much. 'Side of brains. And I don't get much sun, either."

"I don't like the sun either," Dana said, quickly and awkwardly.

Dan stretched his long, thin legs in front of him. "So, tell me more about yourself, Dana."

"Well, I go to Ma'Hu Magic School."

"I used to go there."

Dana glanced at him. "You're a magician?"

Dan shook his head. "I tried. I was OK-Dark magic, you know. Until I got expelled for...well, my own reasons. I'll explain in a bit."

"Cool, I'm a blood mage. Wanna see?"

"You'll need blood for that won't you?" Asked Dan, his sadistic grin getting even more sadistic.

Dana reached into the pocket of her miniskirt, which had red stains on it that she claimed was real blood. Out came her razor.

 

"Any particular reason you carry that around?" Dan asked, intensely curious. He watched her, utterly fascinated.

"In case I get thirsty."

Dan laughed heartily. "You a vampire?"

Dana shook her head. "Succubus, actually."

Dan suddenly stood up. "Really! Show me! Never met a succubus before!"

 

Dana, still holding the razor, showed him her demonic tail and wings. Dan stood in awe.

"Why don't ya wear those more often? They enhance you."

"I can't in school," She lamented. Then she stared at him. "They enhance me?"

"Nothin'. Just enhance the natural beauty. Never met a girl who managed to be both sexy and ballsy enough to come out here late at night and trust herself round me. But back to magic."

 

"Right," Dana said, Holding her wrist out. Without so much as a shudder, she brought the razor down and scraped it across her arm as blood gushed out. She put the stained razor back in her pocket as she stared intently at her blood with fascination.

Suddenly, the blood stopped gushing-it stood straight up, and then swirled about Dana's body.

"Blood Scream," She whispered, holding her arms out, and the small gushes of blood spewed out in front of her, staining the grass in front of the tree, and a small bit of the blood got on Dan's coat. The blood is still there.

 

"Awesome! Awesome!" Said Dan, clapping. Dana sat back down, her arm still bleeding. She brought her tongue down and licked the blood, and smacked her lips together after a few licks.

 

"Thought you were a succubus, not a vampire."

"I am a Succubus," Said Dana proudly, "But I like that coppery taste. Vampires need the blood to live, though. I can eat regular food. I don't need the blood to survive."

She then looked at him, her heart pumping.

"You said you were a Dark Mage. Can you show me your magic?"

"Wish I could still."

"What do you mean?" Dana asked, confused.

 

Dan put his hands in his pockets. The sadistic, etched-on grin returned.

"Give you one guess why the guys at the cemetery and the slaughterhouse (that's my day job) call me 'Dead'."

"You work in a cemetery and slaughterhouse, eat brains, and they call you Dead." She pretended to think. "You're dead, I see. And by the brain-eating, you're a zombie."

Dan nodded.

Dana was silent for a moment, before tackle-hugging him.

"THAT," She exclaimed in a high-pitched girly voice, "Is downright sexy."

Dan was confused. "I'm a cannibalistic zombie. That's sexy?"

"No, you don't get it! I've dated so many living guys at my school, and they're all stupid and can't handle a girl like me! A dead guy may just be my answer!"

Dan now looked confused. "But you're living. I could eat you right now."

"I don't care!" Dana shouted.

Dan looked embarrassed. "Lissin, I've never had a girl say stuff like this to me in the time that I've been dead, ya know?"

Dana slid down the tree, sighing happily. "Tell me how you died, please."

"Slaughterhouse accident." Dan said nonchalantly. "They never knew I died. That's why I still work there. The employees all know I'm dead, but my boss don't. Same with the guys at the cemetery. Well, most of the guys at the cemetery and the slaughterhouse. But never mind that," Said Dan.

Dana got back up, ran in a circle around Dan a few times, and then hugged him, placing her head on his bony, dead chest.

 

"...And we've been dating since then," Dana finished.

Arkcher stared at her in awe. "What kind of parents do you have, Dana? Did they know you had a dead boyfriend?"

"Oh, my parents? I actually only lived with my mom Yomah. Dad was back on my home planet. She never really cared what I did."

"Is she a Succubus too?" Asked Mushroom.

"Yea," Dana answered. "I never knew Dad very well, but I recall him being a vampire, or at least a half-vampire, which may be why I like the taste of blood."

"He was a Bitten Vampire, since he was able to have children," Said Dawn. She then added sadly, "Just like me."

"It must be sooooo coooool to have vampire blood in you! Pun intended," Vanilla squealed. Dana sighed. Dawn turned to Mushroom and Arkcher.

 

"So, loves-I saw that Planet Horatio was in a complete ruin when I got here. What happened?"

Arkcher shrugged. "I wasn't there-I just got here this morning. Horatio said that an accident happened, but he seemed really shaken up about he whole thing, and...well, you know how Horatio always is, he's always so happy go lucky, I'd never seen him in such a state."

Mushroom felt incredibly awkward. She knew what happened. She wanted to tell Arkcher that a monster had attacked, and the same force which spawned it had created that hole in the river. But not now. He didn't need to worry about her safety.

 

She opened her mouth to speak, but at the worst (and most ironic) moment, it happened again-the diners began to scream, and a horrible crash was heard, as bits of ceiling fell to the floor. The group looked up and saw yet another monster, very different from the one last night but so very familiar somehow, looming over them.

Mushroom and PMM looked at each other in fear, and then back at Vanilla, Dawn, and Blood Queen. They knew, without a word being spoken, that this was what had wrecked Planet Horatio.

 

Arkcher was in hysterics. "Mushroom, you need to GET OUT OF HERE!!! COME ON!!!" He said, clutching at her arm, but she refused to move.

Vanilla, Dawn, PMM, and Blood Queen had nodded to each other and knew exactly what was to be done, but they need Mushroom to help, and Arkcher out of the picture. But Arkcher wasn't going to leave without her.

 

Mushroom shrugged him off of her, running over to her friends.

"MUSHR-"

"ARCKHER, LOOK OUT!!!

He turned around, but before he could react, the monster had him on the ground, a blow from the enormous, otherworldly thing. Mushroom became very visibly angry.

"That ******* dares to hit my husband," She said angrily. She and PMM clutched their golden heart-shaped lapel pins.

"I can't believe this," Said Dawn, scared and in utter shock and disbelief. "This cannot be happening to us, after all I sincerely-I believed we got rid of all of them. What could be causing this?"

 

"I don't know, but whoever it is, we'll find them, and their monsters, and kick their butts for ruining my dinner and out lunch. HEART OF THE PINK SEA, TRANSFORMING POWER!"

 

Vanilla's paws curled up in anger as she looked with intense hatred at the monster. "We'll find out who's behind it, and kill them! HEART OF THE ORANGE STICKS, TRANSFORMING POWER!"

 

Dawn looked at Vanilla with disdain, but smiled. "Defeat, Love. Kill is a very harsh word. HEART OF THE GREEN HAZE, TRANSFORMING POWER!"

 

PMM kicked Dawn in the shin. "Defeat is a weak word! I like killing! But only of monsters and in video games! HEART OF THE METALLIC DREAM, TRANSFORMING POWER!"

 

Dana put her hand to her face and thought for a second. "Wait a minute, can't the monster attack us while we transform? HEART OF THE BLEEDING WALL, TRANSFORMING POWER!"

 

The girls (and boy) transformed, and emerged, with Mushroom and PMM looking the same as they did the night before.

Vanilla now sported a purple dress, with pointed, leafy ends and a pentagram in the center; the sleeves were poofy, and her black witch's hat also sported a pentagram. Her normally bare feet were now adorned with black heels with vine-like straps going up her blond, furry legs. Her weapon was a small wand with a large orb containing butterflies in it.

 

Dawn now sported an outfit a lot similar to her normal attire, but was now tighter, with a black dress with white corset running down the back and front, white lack on the sides, black lace-up heels, and a much lacier sailor cap. Her weapon was a large, double-ended glaive.

 

Blood Queen now wore a low-cut, mini-skirted, sleeveless red dress, with much of her cleavage showing and little more than some fabric and string covering her chest. A black ribbon went from both sides of the top of the dress around her neck, her heels were replaced with bloodred heeled boots with ribbon in random places around the boots; and her weapon was a spear. In her hair was a tiara.

 

Vanilla delivered the first attack; her combat skills, like Mushroom, were almost solely magic, while PMM, Dawn, and Blood Queen fought with physical attack and magic. Vanilla was a Wood/Wind double mage, making her very powerful.

 

"Leaf Cyclone!" She shouted, waving her wand and pointing it at the beast, as a whirlwind filled with leaves surrounded it.

Blood Queen, being a blood mage as her nickname suggested (and as you already know), preferred to attack with her weapon first, and then use a foe's own blood against it. She did so now, charging with her spear, and hitting the monster head-on; the creature roared in anger and pain, and swiped at her, and Blood Queen flew out of safety with her succubus wings. She raised her spear to attack, and apparently did not mind PMM getting a good look from underneath her.

 

"Blood Needles!" She shouted, the spurts of discolored blood rising up, turning solid and sharp, and sticking into the eyes and ears of the beast. The monster roared in pain and swatted the air, looking for Blood Queen, but she was now on the ground and Dawn was now delivering her own attack.

 

"Shadow Strike!" She shouted, running quickly towards the monster, glaive in hand, as she sliced at it with pure dark magic; blood spraying from the lengthy wound. PMM saw his chance.

 

"Viral Infection!!" He shouted, smiling, pointing his keyblade at the wound. The wound became hideously lumpy and infected from the technological attack. It was blind, deaf, and infected-now Mushroom needed to deliver a final blow.

 

"Stinging Slash!" She screamed, playing two very different chords on her guitar that produced a sword-like effect on the monster. The other four delivered attacks on it all at once, and the battle was finally over.

 

Arkcher limped up onto his elbows, but Mushroom didn't notice; He looked up, and saw the girls (and boy) in the strange outfits, with strange weapons; he'd been hearing them shout for some time now, and his eyes grew wide as he realized what had been happening around him. He'd been in such a daze that he hadn't realized they'd been using magic on the monster, which had suddenly disappeared.

 

He didn't know how to feel; his wife had just put her life on the line to defeat a monster many sizes larger than her or her friends, but they bravely defeated it. He was proud of them, but especially her, and his body suddenly warmed thinking that such a brave woman was his. But he was also furious, that she would put herself in harm's way-and that he was unable to protect her. He put his head back on the ground, pretending to be knocked out still.

 

The five of them dropped their outfits and weapons, which melted into their regular clothes, the weapons vanishing. Mushroom ran over to Arkcher, worried.

"He seems to be knocked out," She said, relieved. "I'll take him back to the Club to put him back in bed. You guys need to make sure everyone is alright."

The four nodded, and even PMM didn't complain.

 

 

------------------------------------------

 

Mushroom carried Arkcher-who, being a tall but thin boy, was relatively medium-level to carry-back up to their room, and laid him down on the big bed where they were to sleep. She went to get a glass of water and laid it on the nightstand. She was very worried about him, understandably, and needed to check to make sure he wasn't severely wounded. The monster was weak when up against five mages, but against a non-magician like Arkcher, it was incredibly powerful. Given, if Arkcher had his bow and arrows with him, he could have taken it down, but he didn't-which rendered him vulnerable. She wasn't sure how well arrows would work against the monster, anyway.

 

She set the glass on the nightstand and sat down next to her husband.

"Arkky? Are you ok?" She asked sweetly. She leaned down toward him, turning him over so he was face-up and looking at her. He was breathing, though normally, she didn't know-she wasn't sure what her own normal breathing rate would be, let alone that of an Earth Elf. But he was breathing-heavily, which she wasn't sure was because of an injury or just shock. She knew nothing whatsoever on the subject of health, except for the basic things-so she wasn't quite sure what to do in this situation.

 

"Arkky? Are you alright?" She asked once again. He groaned a little bit, then very slowly opened his eyes.

She sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness."

Arkcher say up on the bed. He then sighed unhappily.

"My haaaaaaair!!" He shouted, upset, "My hair is all tangled and mussed! Where's my brush?!"

 

He felt around for it on the nightstand before finally finding his brush, and very slowly, with painstaking detail to every inch of his very long hair, brush out every knot, tangle, and out-of-place hair. After about ten minutes of endless brushing, he sighed, and put the brush back on the nightstand.

 

Mushroom laughed and fell down, hugging him. "At least I know you're alright."

"I'm alright," He said, looking up at her, "But are you?"

"I'm fine," She sighed. "I was really worried about you when you passed out."

"I was worried about you."

She sighed, and rolled over off of him. "Well, we're both fine now. It's too bad our lunch got ruined."

"That doesn't matter, as long as you're OK." Arkcher said, looking over at her.

 

With every word he spoke he almost gave away the hint that he knew she had transformed and defeated the monster, but in the same way she was unsure if she should tell him she had transformed and fought it, he wasn't sure to reveal that he knew. For now, both would have to stay quiet.

 

"Are Dawn, Vanilla, and Dana alright?" Arkcher asked, As he raised himself up.

"They're fine," Mushroom said. "Let's go outside, and see what the damage is."

 

The two did so, holding hands, and saw that quite the crowd had gathered around Mama Luigi's, including Kat and Horatio.

"So, Kat," Said Arkcher sarcastically, "Judging by your actions on the canal ride, I assume you have a plan to fix this problem too?"

"Plan?" Said Kat, confused.

"Yea, a brilliant plan to fix this problem."

"What the **** is a 'plan'? Is it a food?"

Arkcher shoved his free hand into his face. "Never mind."

"OK," Said Kat, who stepped forward and surveyed the damage. She reached into the pocket of her skintight black shorts and pulled out a roll of duct tape. "This ought to do the trick. It helped me earlier and it should help me again - unless the tape turns on me. That happened to me once -" She suddenly sniffled. "- But I don't like to talk about him."

 

Kat unrolled a bit of the duct tape, and ran over to the building, climbing onto the almost entirely sunken-in roof.

 

"Kat, that WILL NOT WORK!!!!" Shouted Arkcher angrily.

"Pfff, yea it will," She said matter-of-factly. "How do you think building restorations are done?"

"With a team of contractors and tools," Said Arkcher.

"Aaaaand what's one of those tools....?"

"Not duct tape..." Arkcher mumbled, but sighed anyhow. He simply stood back and allowed Kat to do...well, whatever she had in mind this time. In case you hadn't noticed, she never ever plans ahead and does everything on an impulse, usually with very disastrous results.

[Horatio]

[ Mushroom_king this is such a fantastic story and you are a phenomenal writer. Thank you for continuing as this is great reading. ]

[Horatio]

[ Was moderating from the iPhone, so it took me a bit longer to straighten things out. ]

Thanks Horatio.

[ For you, this is my pleasure. ]

[Mushroom_king]

Kat began to quickly and randomly apply the tape to sections of the building; Arkcher stared in disdain, but amazement as well, as the building, somehow, began to take its normal shape. Within the span of about an hour and a half (but seemed much shorter), Mama Luigi's was back in business.

 

Kat jumped off the roof and trotted back to Arkcher, whose hand began to tense up.

"Arkky," Said Mushroom, "You're squeezing my hand."

"Sorry," He said unapologetically, relieving a small bit of pressure.

"There," Said Kat, sounding exhausted. "All fixed. Just like I did Planet Horatio."

Arkcher suddenly lightened up. "Wait, you fixed Planet Horatio? Me and Mushroom can go there tonight after we eat at Eyeferghat?"

Kat nodded.

"Thanks a lot, Kat," Said Arkcher, hugging her as his mood suddenly changed. "You're a lifesaver. You're completely insane, but you're a lifesaver."

"I'm not insane, I just hear voices that tell me to do horrible things to the people I love," She muttered as she hugged her friend back.

 

Arkcher let go of her, and then put his hand on Mushroom's back. "Mushroom, where do you want to go now? I'm hoping the rest of the day will be peaceful. The last two events have been disastrous."

"How about we go swimming?" Mushroom suggested. Kat jumped up and down excitedly. "Ooh! Ooh! Can Kat come?"

Arkcher raised an eyebrow. "I thought cats hated water."

"Cats hate water, but Kats love water," Kat explained.

Arkcher sighed. "Fine, fine. I just hope nothing bad happens this time. Mushroom-" He turned towards her, "-You brought a bathing suit, right?"

"Of course I did," She said. "Did you, Paper?"

PMM appeared again. "I think so," He said.

 

Mushroom turned and looked at Dawn, Vanilla, and Blood Queen standing a few feet away. She knew they should come just in case anything happened again.

"Can they come?" She asked, motioning towards the girls. "Since they're my friends and they just arrived in town."

Arkcher raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, and knew exactly why she wanted them to tag along. But he accepted.

 

"So let me ask a question first though," Said Kat. "Am I required to wear a bathing suit at this one?"

Arkcher frowned. "Yes."

Kat sighed and kicked the dirt. "Aww, man, boring. But I'll come anyway."

Mushroom giggled happily. "The more that come, the more fun we have."

And the safer we'll be.

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

Hamsterdam had a number of different places you could go swimming, from manmade pools to the ocean that surrounded the continent the city was a part of. The city of Hamsterdam extended all the way to the north coast of the continent, where there were docks and ships that went out to the Ahshirt Desert, Hamsterking's castle, and the Port of Cheese. A beach was also located a safe distance away from the docks, where tourists frequented. The weather was quite nice, so even though lots of people would be out there, Arkcher decided to take Mushroom, and her friends, out to the ocean.

 

"But wait," Arkcher said, as the group uncomfortably squeezed themselves into a cab, "Dawn, you can't go in water, can you? Much less spend very long in the sun."

Dawn sighed. "I don't know. I've never tried it before. I really want to go in the water and have fun with you guys."

"I don't think it's worth your life to try it," Muttered Blood Queen.

"Well, I can lay on the beach with a good book or a good pencil and paper to draw with," She said happily. "That's just as much fun."

 

"What about Dead Deep?" Arkcher asked Blood Queen, cringing on the nickname. "Can zombies swim?"

"I dunno. I'd guess that they do," She said, shrugging and talking nonchalantly. "I don't think they would 'die'."

Arkcher shrugged, and the cab pulled over; the sunny shore was well in sight, and the group piled out, finally free of being cramped in such a small place. Arkcher paid the driver, and got a tote bag out of the car trunk that contained their suits and sunblock.

 

"I'll go find a spot," Dawn said quietly, her parasol unfolding and protecting her, and then mused to herself, "I wonder if anyone else is here to keep me company?"

 

"Alright then!" Said Arkcher, slinging the unsightly tote bag over his suited shoulders, and almost wincing at how odd it looked. He removed one handle from his shoulder, holding the bag open for the girls, who reached in and grabbed their bathing suits, and then ran off to go change.

 

Dawn trudged through the sand of the beach, her tall boots causing her to sweat needlessly and uncomfortably, as well as sinking in every few moments, much to her dismay. She knew she couldn't afford to drop her parasol, because even though she wouldn't die instantly if the sun hit her, it still hurt very much.

 

She eventually found a group of reclining seats, and gathered enough for the whole group; she set their towels on each one, and sat down on her own seat so she could draw.

Dawn got out her purse-a small, black lacy thing-inside of which were her pencils, erasers, and The Monster Book. The book, which was made solely of drawings and writing done by hand, had many blank pages that Dawn had decided to draw her own monsters on. She had wondered if drawing monsters in the book made them summonable-she didn't know, as she had had no chances to use her powers since she had gotten them. Why even have them, she wondered. But she'd thought the same of her transforming power, and so she dismissed the thoughts quickly. She brightened up as she knew that someday she could use the powers in a fight against a monster, making their team many times more powerful. She smiled to herself and even giggled a little bit, and fingered the golden heart-shaped pin on her cap.

 

"There you are, Dawn!" Said the high-pitched bubbly voice of Vanilla Star Hamster. "It was a little hard to find you!!!"

Dawn looked up at her friends. Mushroom and Arkcher were missing-she presumed they were in the water already-but Vanilla and Kat were wearing one piece suits, with Blood Queen in a skimpy red bikini.

"Arkcher, Paper, and Mush already went off into the water," Explained Blood Queen. The girls took the bottle of lotion out of the tote bag, applied it, and said goodbye to Dawn, who waved and told them to have fun.

 

Dawn sighed, wishing she could join, but she didn't mind once she started to draw. First she drew a human-a skinny, dead-looking human, with large, emotionless eyes, and enormous black wings. Black hair went down the figure's body, which was clothed in a nondescript black dress. She didn't know who it was, but the drawing was nice, so she kept it. She turned over to the next page, and wrote "DEAD ALLYANCE" at the top of the page. She began to sketch a circle, a head shape, that took up most of the page, then added a squared-off jaw at the bottom. Okay. She thought for a moment, tapping her pencil against her cheek, before drawing a few thick, black lines for a mouth, and filled the mouth with gaping, tentacle-like teeth that stretched far beyond the mouth of the creature. On its head she sketched out several tentacle-like appendages, and finished with two slits for eyes and colored the whole thing grey-except for the head-tentacles, which were black. But a name?

 

"I didn't know you drew Lovecraft monsters in your spare time," Came a voice. Dawn shrieked, and flipped the top of her book to her face in defense. She peeped out from over it to see Cheesemaster, in shorts and shirt, sitting on the bench next to her that had originally been for Arkcher.

"Cheesie," She said, sighing with relief, "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you," He said. "I thought you couldn't swim?"

"Right now, I wish I could more than ever." She said sadly. "But I'm fine, I'm here drawing. Aren't you going to go swim?"

"I was-but I saw Kat out there, and I don't go to the beach with Kat anymore."

Dawn cocked her head. "Why?"

 

"Kat," Said Cheesemaster, looking at a drenched Kat, who was getting ready to sit down and eat something, as Cheesemaster got ready to go for a swim. He closed his eyes and took his glasses off, and handed them to her.

"Careful," He said sternly, and Kat looked at them as though she held an ancient relic filled with power. "Uh, I will," She said as he waved and ran off.

 

Kat slouched down in the sand, still looking at them. Like many, the first thing she did was put them on; she giggled, and then she gasped. "Does that guy actually see things out of these? Wow, his eyesight sucks. I hope he doesn't die or something out there. That happened to me once. Remember, Bob?"

 

Bob was one of Kat's imaginary friends. Her other friends included Billy, Nathan, Bruce Wayne, and Magnus von McAwesome-O'Coolname. There was also Davey, but they didn't talk about him very much.

 

"What do you mean, you don't remember? Seeee, Billy and Nathan remember. Well of course Bruce doesn't, he was too busy being awesome/Batman to pay attention!" She then gasped and her eyes widened. "Tone down the language a bit, Mr. von McAwesome-O'Coolname! No need to swear a fit just because Bob doesn't remember!"

 

Kat sat for a while, still wearing the glasses, until, like most of Kat's brilliant ideas, she decided that the glasses were magic.

"I mean, he gets mad whenever people break them and/or make fun of them. They must have a secret!"

 

Kat scooted over to the sand, and decided to find out for herself. She grabbed a big pile of wet sand that the tide had just spilt over, and started piling it up and on top of each other.

"It'd be nice if you guys weren't imaginary, so you could actually help. That goes for you, too, Voices. Split Personalities, you aren't exempt! But sanity, you can help!"

 

Kat's sanity was also a cat, a cat named Setsuna. Pre-Invision Setsuna had also been an imaginary friend, albeit moonlighting as a roleplay character. This meant Kat had total control over whatever Setsuna did. It made Kat feel Godly and important and egotistical and other such words. The sanity appeared out of the air, still in jellyfish form.

 

"Setsuna! Today you roleplay as a little kid playing on the sand, helping me build a Sandmaster." Kat shivered. "Sandmaster. That's the most bad*** thing I've said all day. Sandmaster, Sandmaster, Sandmaster."

Setsuna vanished for a moment, and then appeared a small catgirl in an orange one-piece bathing suit. A large claymore was fixed through her head, but Kat didn't know why and didn't question why. She thought it was cool looking.

Kat, with help from her sanity, eventually sculpted a fine sand-bust of her friend.

"Now for his awesome, awesome hair," She muttered. Setsuna looked around, confused, but Kat eventually said "A-HA!" And grabbed some curly seaweed, and affixed it to the top of the sculpture. She then placed the glasses on the face of the sculpture, and both catgirls stood up to admire their work.

 

Kat stood for a long time, waiting for the bust to come to life.

"Maybe we have to sing a song," Setsuna suggested.

Kat snapped her fingers. "That's right! Sing a song! Um-" She thought for a moment. Setsuna looked at the ocean.

"Kat-"

"Uhhhh..."

"Hey, Kat?"

"No, no..."

"LOOK I HAVE BACON!!!"

"WHERE?!" Said Kat, but stumbled forward, her head at Setsuna's feet.

 

"Oh no!" She said, and she started to sob. "I killed Sandmast-"

Setsuna pointed towards the ocean, and Kat looked. She then looked at the ground.

"The tide came in," Said Setsuna.

"Well why didn't you tell me?!"

"I tried! See, this is why we never talk."

"I didn't raise you to be this type of roleplay character."

"I think you should be less focused on your sanity and more on getting his glasses back."

Kat looked back at the ocean, then the sand.

"HIS GLASSES ARE GONE! OH GOD **** IT! GOD **** IT! GOD **** IT!!!!" She said, and then, raising her head towards the sky, shouted "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-What do I do?! He'll have me keeldeaded! I lost his magic glasses!!!!" She said, and she sobbed.

 

Kat moped back to her seat, trying to think of something to do, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"GO AWAY SETS-"

"Uhm, Kat?"

Kat actually looked. It was Cheesemaster, soaking wet and wrapped in a towel.

"Yea, Cheeseman?"

He looked at her with disdain, and held up his soaking wet glasses. Kat squealed. "You found them! Thank Gawd! And Cheesus!"

Cheesemaster was not amused. "Kat."

Kat quivered. "Yes?"

"What were my glasses doing in the middle of the ocean?"

"Uh...Uh....ITWASALLSETSUNA'SFAULT!"

Cheesemaster looked at her, with death written over his expression. His eye twitched. Kat twiddled her paws together.

"W-Well, I was trying to build a sand sculpture of you. A Sandmaster. (Ooh, that never gets old) Because I thought since you're so protective of your glasses, I thought they must be magical or something. That's why they're so special, right?"

Cheesemaster put his glasses on, and shut his eyes, which still twitched, and it was very obvious that he was trying to not physically harm Kat.

"Kat," He said, "If you weren't a woman and an animal, you'd be extremely dead right now."

"That's...not something you usually say..." She said, still quivering.

"I TOLD you to be careful!" He said, trying not to shout. "What if I did that to your monocle?"

"I'd probably pump you full of lead with my Tommy Gun."

"Exactly. Lesson learned with no physical bodily harm."

 

Dawn snickered, and then cracked up, leaning back in her chair.

"It's not funny!" He half-shouted. "These-they're very special to me!"

Dawn sighed. "Not that. Kat trying to build a sand sculpture of you because she thought they were magic. She's so silly and strange, isn't she? Yet she seems so smart, too. Well, in her own way. You know she didn't mean to do it."

Cheesemaster sighed, and leaned back in his own chair, an open book laying on his stomach.

Dawn still sat in her chair, The Monster Book laying open to the recent pictures on her lap.

 

"Why are those so special to you? They're just eyeglasses."

"Not to me they aren't. I can't see worth anything without them. Plus, they...they were a gift from my dad, who in turn got them as a gift from my mother. So they're very special to me."

Dawn smiled. "All right. I guess that makes sense. But you've still never told me about your parents."

Cheesemaster froze, and began to stutter.

"W-well, I...I...j-just don't feel like i-it....l-like talking about them."

He tugged nervously at his shirt collar.

 

"That's alright, love. I don't mean to make you talk about something you don't want to."

"T-thanks."

"Besides, I've never talked about my parents either, have I?" She sighed.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," He said cheerfully.

Dawn smiled sadly at him. "Maybe some other time. But what was that you were saying earlier, love? About my drawing?"

"I said, I didn't know you drew Lovecraft monsters."

Dawn blushed. "I...don't quite know what a Lovecraft is. The name sounds so very familiar, though..."

"Not what," Said Cheesemaster, picking up his book again, "Who."

Dawn glanced at the cover of his book. Pictured across the front, spine, and back were horrifying illustrations of various tentacled monsters, just like the one she drew, and images of other assorted beasts, and people being horrendously tortured by them.

 

Dawn gently grabbed it from him, far too interested to politely ask first. Dog-earing the page her friend was on, she flipped to the front of the book, but first closed it to examined the illustrations further. She stared at the tentacled monster for a long time, lot in thought, before she finally looked over at Cheesemaster, her eyes sparkling. She showed him the drawing of Cthulhu.

"He's cute!!!" She squealed, her normally sophisticated-sounding voice growing high-pitched like Vanilla's.

Cheesemaster gasped, his glasses again falling down his face. "That's not quite the reaction I'm used to."

Dawn giggled. "Were you reading this? I want to borrow it!"

Cheesemaster laughed. "You can. I brought plenty more books with me." He reached into his bag and hauled out a large tome, with a bookmark stuck in the middle. Dawn stared at it, wide-eyed.

 

"You sure do read a lot, love," She said, her voice normal again.

"Well, it's fun. I can travel to all sorts of places and not have to go anywhere. I can travel back in time, or forward in time, or to other planets and dimensions, and alternate universes, or whole other galaxies, or just other countries, from my comfy armchair in front of my fireplace."

 

He flipped the book open to his marked spot. "When I was growing up, I never did leave England. The only other place I'd been was Japan, and I didn't spend much time there-just five years." He smiled warmly at her. "I always wanted to visit other countries on my own continent. I always wanted to visit France or Germany, especially. I never went to those places physically," he said with a sad sigh, "But I could visit them in my books."

Dawn blushed slightly. "That's so deep."

"Not really," He said, clutching the brim of his hat. "I'm not a philosopher, I'm a scientist."

Dawn held her friend's book close to her chest. "You're so smart. I...I wish I was smart enough to study a science, as well. But I simply can't understand any of it. I envy you, I really do."

"I'm not that smart compared to Arkcher. He was considered a child prodigy, you know, and he's apparently got the IQ of a genius."

"I don't think that sort of thing matters. IQ is just a number, it doesn't mean anything. I-" She stopped for a moment, and looked at the ground. She sighed heavily. "There I go, trying to sound thoughtful and deep. See, I'm not so smart compared to you."

Cheesemaster reached over, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't talk about yourself that way," He said, reassuring but firm. "Don't ever talk about yourself that way. I think you're one of the most intelligent and mature young women I know."

Dawn blushed again, but even harder this time. "You really think that?"

"Yea, I do!" He said, smiling at her. Dawn loosened her grip on his book, and nervously flipped to the first page to start reading.

 

"But going back to what we actually were discussing earlier, love," She said, "This monster on the cover of your book does look like the one I drew-though there are a few differences, may I add. My monster has a visible mouth, and has tentacles that are much like hair, don't you think?"

Cheesemaster raised his gaze from whatever he was reading. He gently grabbed The Monster Book and examined it. "Yea, it does. But still, a bit similar."

"It's very curious. I've never read this before, that I can recall, but it seems so very familiar to me. Like I read it...in a past life, if that's not too strange-sounding for you, love."

"Not strange at all, Dawn. What'll you name it?"

Dawn thought for a moment, staring at the picture.

 

"Is Hatecraft a good name? It's the opposite of the word you said earlier."

"Lovecraft?"

"Yes. Who is that, anyway?"

"Take a look, Dawn."

Dawn, confused, looked back down at her book, which was folded shut on her lap with her finger keeping her place. She looked down and read the front text.

 

THE CALL OF CTHULHU

H.P. Lovecraft

 

Dawn giggled nervously and blushed again. "I can't believe I didn't notice that before."

Cheesemaster smiled at her. "Well, that's it. I think you'll like him quite a lot. A fantastic horror writer."

"Speaking of which, love," She said, "Jakob forbids me from going to the library or the bookstore. Do you have any books besides this to borrow? Mostly horror?"

"Oh, I've got books of just about every genre you could find," He said, placing his bookmark back in his book for the moment. "Lovecraft, as you know, but also Poe, King, Thomas Harris, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, lots of things. In fact I have some King in my bag here."

 

He reached down to his newspaper bag, shuffled about a bit, and emerged with a regular-sized paperback book. He handed it to Dawn, who examined the front cover.

 

STEPHEN KING

'SALEM'S LOT

 

"I hope that's not too offensive to you," Cheesemaster said, worried. "It's about vampires-evil ones."

"It's fine!" She said quickly. "It's perfectly fine."

Cheesemaster looked at her for a moment. "Since you come from the horror-story planet," He thought aloud, "Then all these books happen in your world as well, don't they?"

Dawn's eyes grew wide.

"I honestly never really gave much thought to that," She said. "So many nasty things happened back home all the time. Jakob and James were never short of work to do. Though Jakob always took the oddest cases."

 

"I was actually about to ask where he was. Surely he wouldn't allow you traveling here for Mushroom's birthday."

"He's back on Cullough right now, actually," She said. "Up until now he mostly took odd jobs, but now it seems like he'll be away a lot more often now."

Cheesemaster cocked his head. "Why's that?"

 

Dawn hung her head. "Back home, there were lots of nasty things happening all the time-like I said. But Jakob actually ended up in the midst of it somehow. It was the oddest thing."

 

"See, My sister Julia married Jakob before Sterling was even born, and when I was still very little-I wasn't even a vampire yet. Julia was young when she got married, and Jakob seemed like a promising young law student who would have a lot of money. Me and Julia never had all that much money-but don't be telling Jakob that, of course. It was even better when we learned Jakob had an older brother, James, who came to live with us as well, and he was already a Lawyer. He really liked me and Julia, so of course he helped us out with finances and other such things."

 

"But never mind all that, love, it's boring and unneeded. Jakob finally became a prosecutor, and some time after he did, a series of very horrific murders started happening across the city. Sprawled all over London, there were dead bodies and burned-down buildings. This was typically normal fare on Cullough, but see, this series of murders and arsons were the plot of that book we're from. Jakob took a case immediately to try and track the killer."

 

Cheesemaster blinked. The name 'Jack The Ripper' came to mind first.

 

"Nearly all, if not all, of Jakob's cases were for people who were convicted of being either the killer, or an accomplice. As you know, love, by Jakob's nearly-spotless record, all of the people were found guilty of being an accomplice of the killer. And when he found someone suspected of being the killer, of course he found them guilty; and when they were executed, the murders stopped for a while before starting up again. It was a brutal, never-ending cycle."

 

"Ever since we came to Invision, all his cases have been either odd jobs here on Invision, or an odd job on Cullough. But he recently went back for a few months to see how things went on the case."

 

Cheesemaster listened intently. "And how are things?"

"The murders have been decreasing since Jakob left Cullough, but still happen very frequently. They've never found the killer, so Jakob is trying to find him-or her, whoever it is."

 

Cheesemaster had listened intently to everything Dawn had said. "What a frightening story. But such an odd one, too."

"It's a shame Jakob hates Shirley Locke so much. She could help him figure out who the killer is," Dawn said, cracking a smile.

"I'm sure he could. Though from the sound of it," He said, as he thoughtfully folded his arms, "It sounds like Jakob isn't searching for a single man; it sounds like whoever the killer is, it's multiple people. You said that after he tried someone and found them guilty, the murders stopped happening for a while? There's probably a whole group of people involved, and whenever one is tried, a new one is sent out to continue the work."

 

Dawn looked at him, her heart thumping and her eyes sparkling. "Wow, Cheesemaster-I never knew you were so intuitive! YOU ought to be the one who's a detective!!"

Cheesemaster scratched his head in embarrassment. "I don't think so-I could never stand to do be investigating murders all the time. I just want to build things."

Dawn sighed. "I guess so," She said. "But definitely consider it!" She added with a smile.

Cheesemaster smiled back, and then immersed himself in the book he had brought along, Dawn with her drawing.

 

Dawn felt immensely happy, happier than she had ever really felt. Cheesemaster really was a good friend to her, and to, well, the rest of his friends as well. His voice almost echoed in her head: A good gentleman always.... Followed by one of his anecdotes.

She glanced over at him; he was completely immersed in whatever he was reading, his only movements being a page turning, or adjusting his glasses. So intelligent, She thought, still looking at him. And he's not half-bad looking...Oh, what am I thinking? She said, putting her hand over her mouth, though she was still glancing over at him.

 

Cheesemaster's gaze, which had been focusing solely on his book for about an hour now, suddenly looked up, and shifted his eyes so he was looking at her.

"Dawn? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dawn gasped underneath her hand, and quickly turned red. "It's nothing, love."

He pushed his glasses up his nose, still looking confused. He shrugged, and looked out at the ocean; In the far distance he could see his friends playing out in the ocean. He wondered why, exactly, Vanilla and Kat could stand the water when they were covered in fur; but he didn't know, and didn't care to know, because they seemed to be having fun.

 

"It's starting to get late," Dawn said, to try and break the silence. "They'll need to be leaving soon."

Cheesemaster said nothing; he was too busy looking out, with great concentration, on his friends. He looked very worried.

"Is something wrong?" Dawn asked, after he failed to say anything. Cheesemaster, without looking, placed a slip of paper in his book to serve as a bookmark, and stood up.

"Cheesemaster?"

"Where's Edna," He muttered, looking out at the ocean, "I see Dana, Mushroom, Arkcher, Vanilla, PMM, and Kat. Edna also went out there to play with them. He's not there now. I would have known if he was to come back up to the shore,"

Dawn gasped, and put down The Monster Book, her pencil in the center of the page. She stood up shakily.

 

"You don't think he-"

"Don't say it!!" He said, looking at her, his breath heavy. "Don't say that!!"

He unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt, and took off his glasses. "I'll need you to hold onto these while I go and look for him," Cheesemaster said. Dawn looked down at her book. She'd been drawing a dragon, even though Jakob and Julia had strictly told her to not draw them. The dragon in particular was a sea dragon, and she had planned to ink and color it when she got home.

"Hold on," She said. "I'll go look for him."

"No, Dawn. You're making this too hard. You can't go in the water, Dawn, it's not safe for you. And I'm responsible for him, as his-"

He stopped, unable to think of a word. Parent Was what was on his tongue, but was that really correct?

 

"Guardian," He finished.

"How about we both go together, love?"

"Please, Dawn. Stay here."

"Cheesemaster, I need you to understand, I-"

I know what's happened to him the same thing that attacked Planet Horatio and Mama Luigi's and caused that hole in the river that I heard about it's got Edna now and it'll get Arkcher and Kat and it'll get you

"-I...Me and the others. Mushroom, Vanilla, Blood Queen, Paper, and Me. We'll do it. It's too dangerous."

The two of them suddenly heard a yell, a blood-curdling scream, and looked out at the ocean. Arkcher and Kat had vanished. Mushroom was yelling madly.

"Dawn-"

But Dawn had run off. She knew what she would do. And the other four knew what they would do, as well.

 

----------------------------------------

 

In the ocean, Mushroom, Vanilla, Blood Queen, and PMM were alone-with Kat, Arkcher, and Edna all gone, and they had no idea where they could have gone but under the waves.

 

Vanilla was scared stiff; Mushroom was trying not to scream; PMM and Blood Queen were both annoyed that yet more of their happiness was ruined by a mysterious force they thought they had destroyed.

 

"I'm going under," Mushroom said plainly.

"What?!" The others said in unison, and Mushroom looked at them.

"I'm going under to see where Arkcher went."

"Mushroom, don't!" Shouted Vanilla, her paws wrapped around her body.

"I'm angry now," Mushroom said, taking a deep breath. "I'm not letting it, or whatever this is, take my husband."

And with that, she dove under the water.

 

Vanilla, Blood Queen, and PMM simply floated, looking down at the waves in horror.

"We need to transform," PMM sighed.

"Are you serious?! There's still people here!!" Vanilla shouted, pointing a paw at the beach. She then actually looked, and saw most everyone was leaving.

"Oh-" Vanilla started, but was interrupted as Mushroom re-surfaced, a fainted but breathing Arkcher draped over her shoulders.

 

"I couldn't find Edna or Kat," She said, her voice sounding as though it were on the verge of tears. "I'll take him up to shore, find Dawn, and try to revive Arkcher. In the meantime, you all need to find Kat and Edna, take them to the shore, and then find whatever dragged them under."

 

The other three nodded, and dove under the water to do so, as Mushroom paddled up to the shore.

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Mushroom continued to ferociously swim up, her husband still in her arms; it was strenuous and obscenely difficult to swim with just one arm, but she managed to do it. But she was afraid.

 

Afraid of what, She wondered. She was afraid of PMM dying as he looked for her other two friends, and the consequence of herself going insane without him. But mostly she was just afraid of a floating piece of seaweed or a stray fish scraping by her feet. She had constantly stopped to look around and move around patches of seaweed when she could.

Why are you even afraid, it won't hurt you. A voice in the back of her mind reminded her. She shook it off and continued, still scared.

 

She eventually did reach the shore-after 'braving' fields of seaweed as well as stray bits of it. She gasped as she threw herself and Arkcher on the shore, and looked down at her husband. He was breathing-thank goodness.

"Arkky?" She muttered, and then decided it was best to lay him down on a bench. With much difficulty, she barely picked him up and did so, covering him with a towel, as she went to go find Dawn.

 

Back in the water, the girls (and boy) were underwater, looking for Kat and Edna-and having no idea where to look. They had no clue how Mushroom had found Arkcher-but they needed her to come back soon so she could help. They were having no luck finding their two missing friends and time was ticking away.

 

Were their friends drowning? Or, possibly, were they being held captive, unconscious, in an air bubble? If this truly was the same enemy from back home, well, they didn't seem above two such cliches.

 

All three of them resurfaced, gasping for air.

"Where the #### is Mushroom?" PMM said, gasping. "I should have gone with her. If I die out here, she's screwed."

Vanilla continued to breathe heavily. "Let's keep looking," Was all she could say. She looked back at the shore, and saw Arkcher laying on a bench, and she knew Mushroom was probably safe. She looked back at her friends, and then made an announcement.

 

"Hold on," She said, "Since I know Wind Magic, I could make air bubbles for all of us so we can be underwater longer."

PMM and Blood Queen looked at her for a moment, and then smiled. "Good idea, Vanilla," Was the only thing they said-they still needed to preserve breath.

 

Vanilla found it difficult to cast spells whilst floating about, and especially difficult to do it without her wand-her normal one, nor her transformed one-but she still managed to get three air bubbles around herself, and two for her friends. The three dove underwater, to test out the air bubbles. PMM and Blood Queen both breathed, normally and without fear of water getting into their lungs, and found the air bubbles suitable.

 

Vanilla swam closer to her friends, and attempted to remind them not to go near anything that might pop them, but they either ignored her or couldn't hear her-but either way, they began to look for Kat and Edna.

[Mushroom_king]

Back on the shore, Mushroom had found Dawn, who was arguing with Cheesemaster; Dawn's expression was one of sadness, as though she was deeply regretting arguing with him-it reminded Mushroom of the way she felt when she argued with Arkcher.

 

"Dawn," Cheesemaster said, his voice and expression still very calm, "I demand that I go out and look for Edna. He's my responsibility."

Dawn suddenly shouted at him. "You can't!" she yelled, "You can't!! You'll...You'll...You'll end up just like Arkcher and Edna! You'll get pulled under as well!"

"Then what makes you exempt?" Cheesemaster asked, still calm but visibly frustrated. He knew they were wasting valuable time.

 

Dawn was at a loss for words, unable to explain to him the problem at hand. Cheesemaster smiled at her, and then looked over at Mushroom, who was standing nearby.

 

"I can watch Arkcher while you two go look for the others," Cheesemaster said. "Although I feel it is my responsibility to find Edna, I should heed Dawn's warning anyhow-besides, he'll need someone to make sure he's alright."

 

Mushroom nodded. Cheesemaster ran out to wear Arkcher was, and the two girls, once he was out of earshot, began to plan.

"Dawn, how are you going to go out there if you can't touch the water?"

"I was going to summon a monster," She explained. "I drew a Sea Dragon in The Monster Book today that I thought would help."

Mushroom shifted her eyes. "But there's no way you can go out there and summon it without him noticing."

Dawn sighed-she had not thought of that. It hit her hard, and she knew she would have to find a way around that if she was to help her friends.

 

"How about this," Mushroom thought aloud, "Me and the others will go find Kat and Edna, and bring whatever dragged them down to the surface. Then you can summon this Sea Dragon and help us defeat...it, I guess."

Dawn nodded, her eyes closed in thought, and then opened them again.

"I'll try," Dawn said. "But wouldn't that be too obvious to him? And Arkcher, as well?"

Mushroom thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. But you'll have to think of something, unless the four of us alone can take down whatever it is that's out there."

 

The two were silent, and Dawn finally breathed slowly and softly. "I'll wait here for you guys, and I'll try to come help you if I can."

"Thanks, Dawn," Mushroom said, hugging her friend. "I hate to do this, but-"

"Don't say that. It's not your fault I'm like this. Besides, I don't mind. I can protect Cheesemaster if anything tries to come ashore."

 

The two nodded, and Mushroom ran off, leaving Dawn to stay and watch for the two.

 

------------------------------------------

 

Mushroom walked out onto the beach area, where Arkcher had woken up, though he was still a bit groggy. He had dried off while laying down, and was now attempting to get his pants and shirt back on, though with much difficulty. Cheesemaster was watching over his best friend with great care, to make sure he was alright. Despite all the panic, he remained calm, and smiled at Mushroom as she ran back into the water, wishing her good luck.

 

Mushroom jumped into the ocean-she'd dried off during her talk with Dawn, and the water was cold now that she wasn't used to it. But she didn't care, nor did she notice-cold water was the least of her worries. She moved quickly out to where she thought Vanilla and the others had been.

 

And therein lied the problem-she now had no idea where she was to look. Vanilla, PMM, and Blood Queen had all dove under the surface, and there were no rocks or anything to mark where they had been. She would have to dive under the water to look for them-that is.

 

Just as she had taken a large gulp of air and was about to dive under, she saw a shadow underneath the water moving towards the surface.

She clutched the golden heart-shaped pin, which she had worn on her swimsuit just in case, and was about to rip it off and proceed to transform until the heads of her three friends rose up.

 

"We found Kat, but there's no sign of Edna," Vanilla said, very sadly. Mushroom looked very afraid, and told Vanilla to drop Kat off on the shore so Dawn could watch her.

"Sure will," Said the hamster, he normally bubbly voice now filled with fear. Like the others, she really didn't know how such a good day had gone so very wrong, nor did she know why even.

 

Vanilla, unlike Mushroom, was spared most of the work of carrying Kat, as Kat was mildly awake-but she was muttering gibberish most of the time, mostly about oranges and disco cars and the French. So, it wasn't much different from normal-Vanilla still held onto Kat so she wouldn't risk fainting and sinking again, but for the most part it was Kat who swam back up to the shore, where she found Dawn, Cheesemaster, and a confused, now-fully-dressed Arkcher. Neither him nor Kat were very sure what had just happened to them-Arkcher remembered nothing that happened, and Kat's memory was muddled to the point where it was just as useless.

 

Vanilla had asked over and over if they remembered anything; unlike Dawn or Mushroom, she was not very good at asking questions seriously, and acting seriously was not something Vanilla did usually. Even in the fights back on Dreamtopia she'd never acted quite so serious. Then again, back at home lives in danger were of strangers usually-here it was their best friends. The seriousness and the possible consequences were the same, but it was much more personal now that innocent friends were involved.

After repeated asking and redundant conversations, Vanilla finally got back out to the ocean to help her friends, moving as quickly as she could.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

The four, again, attained bubble 'helmets' from Vanilla's magic and dove under the surface to wherever they felt their friend had went, hoping and hoping it still wasn't too late to save Edna.

 

The group hadn't until then realized just how deep the section of ocean they had been wading in was; they weren't even THAT far from the shore, and they swore there were no deep chasms in the area they had been swimming in. For all they knew the new, deep areas had been created by the monster (well, they presumed it was a monster) just then, or that the chasms and canyons had been made with magic. Normally they could use their own magic to try and tell, but they had to preserve their magic for any fighting they might have to do.

 

Mushroom, who was leading the group, turned around to face them; the other three stopped, their faces openly surprised. Though they couldn't hear each other, they knew Mushroom had something she needed to say.

She mouthed something very slowly, as if her friends were actually able to read lips very well, and motioned for them to split up and search along with their sanities for protection. She clutched Paper Mario Master to make this point, and the two other girls nodded. The three swam off in separate chasms to try and search for Edna, as well as whatever had dragged their friends under.

 

Back on the shore, Arkcher had finally fully come to, and was fully dressed in a wrinkled white shirt, tucked into his equally wrinkled black dress pants and his belt tightened and his necktie fastened around his neck. His tie, too, was wrinkled. His hair was matted and hadn't been washed of the salt. It's subsequent to say that he felt very horrible about his clothes being in such a condition, but he was absolutely distraught at the condition his beautiful, beautiful hair was in, as he was always proud of his lovely hair. He sat on the bench, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms around his knees, looking very sad. Cheesemaster was sitting next to him, on the sand, and was watching the ocean for any sign of their friends or Edna. Kat was resting, while she sleep-talked and mumbled about monsters, and Dawn, like Cheesemaster, waited for a sign from Mushroom. All four were completely silent, save for Kat's mumbling and Arkcher's occasional embarrassed whimpering over his appearance. Cheesemaster occasionally looked over at him with disdain.

 

"I'm worried about them," He said finally, breaking the horrible silence. Dawn walked over, looking carefully at the ocean waves lapping against the shore.

"Bad things have been happening ever since last night at Planet Horatio."

Arkcher spun his head around, his sorrowful expression mixing with question. "You were at Planet Horatio last night? You told me you just heard about it."

Cheesemaster looked at him with wide, surprised eyes. "N-No, of course not. I wasn't there. I never said I was there. Mushroom told me about it-she did go to the restaurant last night. She told me all about it much later. And it's horrible...seems like she's been plagued by that sort of stuff ever since last night. It's completely bizarre."

 

Arkcher sighed, his tone completely full of despair. "I don't really know. I mean, she's never told me anything about anyone who might have grudges against her, let alone why monsters would be following her around everywhere. I really, honestly don't know. And knowing that she's in such danger is eating away at me almost as much as how my hair looks right now, in fact it's eating at me even more. And you know how much I love my hair, Cheeseman-I love Mushroom even more."

 

Cheesemaster laughed, though the despair was still in his voice. "That's quite a lot. You be sure to tell her that when she comes back." He looked back at the ocean, and sighed deeply. "She's a very lucky girl to have someone who loves her so much. And at such a young age."

"I guess so." Arkcher agreed, and put his hands onto his head. "Ugh, but my hair is still a mess. I'll never be able to appear in public like this. I'll need a new clean shirt and pants and tie from my suitcase at the Best Friends of Horatio Club, and I need to wash and comb and gel my hair again. Ugh, look how horrible it looks! It's horrible! Don't even look at it. I need something to cover it!"

Cheesemaster sighed again, as Arkcher continued to exaggerate the state of his hair and clothes.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Back in the ocean, Blood Queen had summoned Dead Deep (who, obviously, had been sleeping in her psyche) to help her search for Edna and any potential monsters. The water didn't seem to be doing any harm to Dead, and best of all, he didn't need to breathe so he didn't even require an air bubble. They'd already wasted some magic creating the air bubbles, even though it was very simple magic.

 

The chasm Dead and Blood Queen explored was, oddly, not as dark as they expected. They had no idea why they could see so well in the chasm when it technically should be pitch-dark. Magic, perhaps. That was becoming an increasingly common explanation in their lives.

 

The trip was very silent, and both of them had seen enough horror movies to know that in such a silent situation, something very bad, dangerous, and loud was bound to happen at any second. Blood Queen fingered at her heart-shaped lapel pin, ready to use it at any moment's notice.

 

In a different chasm, Vanilla was swimming with her own sanity, whom she very rarely conversed with-like most Invisionists. The sanity's name was Hampster-she wasn't sure where the sanity had come from, and she'd only spoken a few times. What Hampster had said made little sense the few times she spoke, so Vanilla didn't feel very reassured that she was safe with a 'buddy'.

 

Mushroom traveled with PMM, of course. She knew she was safe with him because he used very powerful magic-the two of them were a force to be reckoned with when they had both transformed and were capable of their full magic.

 

All three of the girls slowly swam in these oddly-lit chasms, the silence surrounding them, almost eating them, waiting for something to happen.

And eventually, something did.

 

The swallowing silence was interrupted with a sudden, shocking noise-one the girls had heard before, but never this loud. It was a 'plunk' sound, like that of stones skipping across the water or marbles dropping into the ocean. But it was much, much louder than either of these, and completely unnatural.

 

Back on the shore, the four who were waiting also heard the plunking noise. It woke up Kat out of her half-asleep, half-awake slumber, and nearly knocked Cheesemaster's cap and glasses into the ocean. Dawn, who had been standing beside him, fell across his lap.

 

"What was that?!" She said, struggling to get up. Kat had ran over to the shore and was screaming gibberish.

"CTHUHLU! IT'S CTHULHU I TELL YOU! THE END IS NYE! THE END IS NIGH, THE SCIENCE GUY-" And she fell to the sand, breathing heavily.

Dawn looked up, After Cheesemaster caught her; her legs were shaking, and she fell against his body, not caring how awkward it might be; and suddenly, all four of them were very frightened.

 

"That noise," Cheesemaster said, his voice full of fear and his chest rising and falling heavily, "It...it sounds like some kind of marine animal. But it's-it's too loud for it to belong to anything normal. Something that big would be like an enormous squid, or..."

"A sea dragon," Dawn said shakily.

"Cthulhu," Kat said, raising a hand while still on the ground.

"Not of out world," Arkcher said, his mind swimming with terror. "Mushroom...Oh, Mushroom, are you alright? Mushroom-"

"Whatever it was, it was huge. Those four, they're-"

"Don't say it!!" Shouted Arkcher, causing Dawn to jump back, landing face-up in the sand again. She awkwardly moved out of her friend's lap. "I don't even want to think about Mushroom being in danger!!"

"She'll be fine," He said, and all of them were silent, until Dawn suddenly stood up, her knees still shaking, and ran off.

"Dawn, where are you going?!"

But she had run off, knowing full well what she needed to do now. She needed to help her friends who were already out there.

 

Cheesemaster also stood up. "We need to get out of here," He said, walking over to Kat and heaving her up. Arkcher slowly stood up, also shaking with fear, and managed to walk over. He fumbled with his necktie and whimpered. "I need to stay here and make sure Mushroom is alright."

"Arkcher, she'll be perfectly fine. She's a strong girl-She took years of magic classes back home, after all, she can defend herself!" He shouted, almost to the point of scolding. "And Vanilla, Dana, and PMM can use magic as well. They'll be fine-assuming that something IS out there."

"You're doubting that a living thing made that noise?! What else could have made it?!"

"I don't know. If it is living, how do we know if it's-"

 

Unfortunately, Arkcher didn't get to hear the rest of the sentence; at that moment, an enormous splash was heard, and upon looking, both of them fell back onto the ground, along with Kat. Dawn was still nowhere to be seen.

 

 

"M-m-...Mushroom...Mushroom!!!" Shouted Arkcher, leaning forward. Cheesemaster looked on in awe, and then gasped. "Edna?"

The two of them stared, mouths agape, at the enormous...the enormous thing that was now in the middle of the ocean. A tidal wave created by the creature emerging was heading for them, and Cheesemaster dragged Kat back up to the shore as all three tried to seek some form of shelter.

"Where's Dawn?!" Cheesemaster asked to no one, fearing for her safety.

"I don't know! Why are you asking me?!" Arkcher snapped. He looked closer at the monster in the middle of the ocean again. "I see Edna-the monster is holding it. And that looks like Mushroom, Vanilla, Blood Queen, and PMM. But..." He squinted and looked out again. "Their bathing suits are gone. They're wearing weird clothes now."

Cheesemaster adjusted his glasses and looked out as well. "You're right, they look...they look similar, and yet at the same time they look so different. Why are they..."

 

"You guys are still here?!" Shouted Dawn's voice. The boys shifted their heads only slightly, trying to keep an eye on the monster.

"You need to get out of here!!"

Cheesemaster stood up and walked over to her, followed slowly by Arkcher. Arkcher looked at her angrily.

"Why is Mushroom wearing weird clothes? What happened to her swimsuit, Dawn? Do you have any idea?!" He said accusingly. He scowled down at her. "Why is Mushroom putting her life and sanity in danger by fighting that thing, Dawn?! I'll bet you know something, don't you? Are you five keeping secrets from us? Because all four of them are wearing weird clothes and suddenly have weapons! Are you-"

"Arkcher," Cheesemaster said, "That's no way to talk to a lady in a time of crisis." Arkcher scoffed at him but said nothing, and folded his arms in a show of pouting.

"There will be plenty of time for questions later. We need to take Kat to a safe place. I think Dawn has an idea of what she's going to do."

 

Dawn's eyes shimmered, and the boys both realized she was about to cry. She shook her head and began to whimper. She took her sleeve and wiped her eyes with it, and then ran off by the shore.

"So you figured it out so easily?" Dawn said, her voice full of sadness. "Well, I guess it was easy. We don't look very different from normal."

Cheesemaster turned around and looked at her, confused.

"Dawn, what are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Dawn said, and she ripped off her heart-shaped lapel pin, and proceeded to do her transformation.

 

"Heart of the Green Haze-Transforming Power!" She shouted, her voice shaky. The bright light wasn't all that blinding, but it was enough to get notice from the monster and the four fighting it.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

While this was happening, a fight commenced in the midst of the water; rather difficult considering the lack of solid ground to stand on. But the four managed-Blood Queen had wings, Vanilla used her Wind Magic, and Mushroom's guitar had wings, oddly enough, that she and her sanity used. Unfortunately this made it a bit difficult for Vanilla and Mushroom to attack; the fight was not commencing successfully at all.

 

The monster had appeared to the four via making the enormously loud noise, and then crashing through the three chasms, successfully creating a trench; this meant that if anyone fell, or died, or anything else, they would fall into the trench and be lost forever. The four had all been forced to transform underwater, a feat that was rather difficult; swimming in their new outfits took time to get used to, time that they did not have; right upon reaching the surface Blood Queen took to the sky in order to dry out her wings and Mushroom summoned her guitar to pick up PMM and Vanilla; the latter then using her own magic to sustain a sort of flight.

 

Because of the awkward 'flying', only Blood Queen was really able to successfully attack; Vanilla found herself at risk for losing energy and falling into the trench if she used too much magic-she did have to maintain the flight as well as attack, so she could only use weak spells. Mushroom was only able to use non-weapon spells, which were few and far between, PMM could only use projectile spells.

 

Blood Queen charged with her spear, landing the blade into the monster's water-sogged skin; discoloured blood spewed forth from the wound and enormous claws swiped at her, causing her to do a midair backflip and then slashing at it again. She had to stab it a lot, as the blood might fall into the water and then would be much less powerful. She wasn't yet strong enough that she could draw the blood from the water.

 

"Blood Cleaver!" She shouted, plunging the spear as far as she could into the monster, causing it to scream and yell in pain as well as bring its claws down on her, hitting her with a glancing blow. A few scratches were on her barely-clothed body, but for the most she was okay.

"Blood Cleaver!" She shouted again, and the freshly-spilt blood arced up into a knife shape and came crashing down onto the monster's head. Blood Queen breathed heavily, and Vanilla and PMM both knew she needed more help.

 

"Pine Burst!" Shouted Vanilla, as a wave of energy shaped like a conifer struck the monster, causing a hard THUD sound, a shuffle of leaves, and a few magic energy leaves to fall slowly into the ocean and the dissolve. PMM stood up, caught his balance, and then fired a blue energy orb at the monster. Mushroom looked around for Dawn, which was when her transformation started.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

The transformation sequence was completed, and Dawn stood on the shore, and then clutched her Dead Alliance pen and looked at it. She knew her personality would change drastically in that form, but it was the only way she could help her friends out, and the only way she could summon any monsters.

 

Even so, Cheesemaster and Arkcher were already in complete and utter shock over what had happened, and proceeded to gasp once again when Dawn raised the Dead Alliance pen and shouted "Dead Alliance! Transforming Power!"

 

Although the transformation seemed lengthy to her, for her spectators it was only a mere few seconds, and it was incredibly shocking and awe-inducing to see such a thing happen.

 

Dead Alliance Dawn stood on the shore in her jet-black tight dress, trench coat, and boots, her demonic wings, enormous scythe/glaive and her even darker makeup. She turned to her friends, who both were speechless, save for one phrase uttered by Arkcher:

 

"...I wish I had a super sexy transformation sequence as well."

 

Dawn grunted, raised the Dead Alliance scythe/glaive, and jumped into the ocean.

"Dawn-!" Shouted her friends in unison, who were, once again, taken aback when the sea dragon Dawn had drawn earlier appeared and caught her, and then started swimming towards the much larger and much-wounded monster.

 

The boys sat stunned and speechless on the shore, helpless to do anything except watch and hope the five would be OK, and for Cheesemaster, hoping Edna would be safe in the midst of all of it. The two were silent again, except for another phrase, this time said by Cheesemaster:

 

"I can't believe they had a secret like that...but thinking about what's happened, it seems so obvious."

Arkcher said nothing, and neither did Cheesemaster for what seemed like such a long time.

[Horatio]

[ Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was going through MK story withdrawal! ]

[Mushroom_king]

[OH BALLS]

 

[i JUST REALIZED I NEVER POSTED THE CONCLUSION FOR THE LEGUAN STORY]

 

[HERE IT BE]

 

[iT WOULD BE MOST APPRECIATED IF THIS WAS EDITED INTO THE POST THAT CONTAINS THE CHAPTER WHERE SHEENA AND PALS ATTACK EVERYONE]

 

[contains gratuitous use of the D-word.]

 

The rest of the day went uneventful, and the next day the five slept in for a bit-save for Edna and Cheesemaster, who left a note saying they were out for an early morning walk.

 

Cheesemaster stopped to purchase the paper from the paperboy, who was also up early; the headlines were mainly more witness statements from the previous day's events, and yet ended up in a conversation with him, causing Edna to wander off.

 

The streets were surprisingly empty-Edna wondered if it was Saturday. He walked around, enjoying some peace finally, when he felt the sensation of someone walking behind him.

Edna looked behind him. He almost screamed.

 

Behind him, was a tall man. But not a man like we think of; a man as in a stick man. And not a stick man speaking metaphorically-he was a literal stick figure man, completely two-dimensional. he had two big, circular eyes, a mouth, no nose, and a little top hat. At his feet was a robotic-looking chicken, a cross-eyed cat, and a blue thing that looked like a weasel. In its sticklike "Hands" were two protest boards. One read

 

NO TACO!

 

The other read

 

WE WANT TACOS!

 

Edna looked confused and terrified at the same time. He whimpered, took a step back, and then ran screaming.

"MR. CHEESEMASTER!!!!!"

"What? What is it?" Said Cheesemaster, him and the newsboy looking up to see Edna running towards them.

 

"I saw a stick man!" Shouted Edna, sounding almost hysterical. "I saw him, and he-and he was-he was all 2D!! What do I do?!"

"Tell him to stop breaking the laws of physics!" Cheesemaster said sternly.

"OK," Said Edna, and turned back around. "Well where'd he go?"

Cheesemaster looked onward. "Maybe you hallucinated it, Edna. Maybe you're tired. Do you need to go back and sleep a little longer?"

Edna said nothing for a while, still looking behind him for the stick man. "Yes," Was all he said.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Later that day, the five of them had made their way to the Thames forest, a dark and spooky place, even though it was daytime. Edna thought it to be the kind of place where elves would live; Cheesemaster said it reminded him of Tolkien. Leguan and Alienfreak went off by themselves to study the foliage of the forest, and Kat went off on her own, with the warning to not destroy anything or get a splinter. Cheesemaster promised that if she didn't cause complete carnage and destruction, he'd buy her a biscuit. It took her some explanations for her to understand he meant a cookie.

 

So that left Cheesemaster and Edna, who would occasionally see Leguan or Alienfreak but said nothing to them, since they were busy.

 

"I zee," Leguan muttered, examining a pink flower with his now-gloved hand. "Zis may be vat I've been looking for," And he slowly picked it out of the ground. When he did, he felt an overwhelming presence near him that sent shivers up his spine and made his grateful to have Alienfreak with him, who told him he was just being paranoid about Edna's earlier comment about elves.

 

"All the elves live in the Forum Forest-you know that, Leguan."

"Vat if there's zum here zat no vun knew avout?" He asked, not sounding paranoid-just curious.

"I don't think they'll mind. Come on-here, look at these. These plants are from another planet-we need to gather as many of that kind as possible.

 

Leguan leaned down and examined a blackish, hedge-looking thing.

"I zee," He said, looking at it. "Ze planet et originally came from vas a planet zat needed to abzorb lezz light from ze star orbiting et. Vyou cen zee zat by ze fact zat et es black. Black absorbs heat more easily.

Alienfreak laughed. "You tell me as though I didn't already know, Leguan!" She said, as she leaned down and looked. "See, all these hedge-things came from a planet like that-" She said, and she reached into the pocket of her lab coat, pulling out a guidebook to plants from around the galaxy.

 

"Here," She said, showing Leguan a photograph of the same black hedge. "Pent-ac Hedge. Originally cultivated on the Planet Sahanic-that's a planet that's so much like a Star that people have frequently confused it for one. It grows there as well as about five thousand other planets also close to the suns.

"I remember," Said Leguan, his eyes growing misty with nostalgia, "Back en my home galaxy. Zere vas two plenets cloze to our zun. Mercury and Wenus." He stood up and looked at the sky, and then at her.

"Do vyou think zat zis sort uf plant grows on Wenus? Not Mercury. No atmosphere vas there, I think. Vut Wenus had vun."

"It's very likely. Did anyone on Earth ever go there?"

Leguan shook his head.

"Your technology is far behind, then," She said nonchalantly.

 

Leguan looked at the ground. She was so very earthlike he sometimes forgot she was indeed an alien. Then again, she'd been born on Earth to a human parent and alien parent, so he wasn't that far off.

"Do vyou vant to pick et or not?" He asked, and she nodded and picked up the hedge.

"I alvready know vat zort of thing I might vant to do vith et," He said. "I vant to put et under different conditions zen et es used to and zee vat happens."

"Then pick up more than one," She said, and he did so.

The scientists continued looking at the plants in the forest, with Cheesemaster listening whenever they were nearby.

 

Cheesemaster stopped listening to them for a moment, however, and realized with panic that Edna was not with him.

"Edna?" He said, looking around. "Edna?!" He then shouted the boy's name. "Edna!!!" He said, looking around desperately for his companion.

 

Edna had wandered off in the woods when he saw a small squirrel. Of course there were many of those in the woods, but this one stood out, because when Edna was near it his psychic senses went awry-something that rarely happened. He had attempted to talk to the squirrel, as he'd seen other talking animals on Invision, but found the squirrel running away from him; he chased after it, and that was where they got separated.

 

Edna continued to chase the squirrel through the woods, not even realizing he'd gotten separated from the others. He kept chasing it until he tripped on a loose branch and his cap fell off. He looked up. The squirrel was no where to be found.

 

He rubbed the top of his head and realized his cap was missing; he looked desperately around for it, and saw it-in the middle of a large patch of gross-looking fungi.

Edna suddenly remembered something that Mr. Cheesemaster had told him once, about how eating wild fungi was very bad for you and could get you sick or make you see bad things that weren't real. He looked at the fungi-they weren't mushrooms. Mushrooms, even though they may be bad for you, were cute things, with a little stalk and little cap. Mr. Cheesemaster said gnomes lived in little houses made of mushrooms, with red tops and white spots. Edna saw it in an old, old picture book that Cheesemaster had in perfect condition. Mushrooms were cute, but don't eat them unless they were from the store.

 

These weren't mushrooms; they looked like slime-covered moss. Maybe it was moss. Edna had learned that some fungi looked like moss and vice versa. But whatever it was, his cap was in the middle of it.

 

Edna was about to reach for it, but he remembered that sometimes a moss or fungus or plant or anything might just rub off on you and do bad things to you just by you touching it. Edna drew his hand back, and shivered. It was then that he noticed the shadow upon the tree.

 

The tree next to the moss-to the left, specifically-there stood a figure that looked as though it were embedded in the tree. He saw it looked as though it may be leaning against something, its arms folded, looking at the sky. Its stance reminded Edna of that drama show Mr. Cheesemaster watched that he channeled from Earth. The one with Mr. Hitchcock, in black and white. Only this figure was unusually thin-Edna saw most of the figure outline covered with what might be long, long-very long-hair.

 

Edna looked behind him. There was no one. It wasn't anyone's shadow. He shivered, and whimpered.

"S-Sir," He stuttered to the shadow, to see if it was sentient. He saw the figure move, in such a way that seemed as though it may have been leaning on one leg, as though against something. Its arm moved up, moved about-maybe to move its hair a bit- and re-folded its arms. It said nothing, but the outline of a nose and lips vanished-it was no longer facing the sky from the side. Edna jumped a step back when he saw two pointy things show on the sides of the head.

(horns)

Edna whimpered, and his shaking arm pointed to his cap.

 

"P-Please sir, pick up my hat? I don't want to touch that moss."

The shadow said nothing still, but leaned down. The black outline of a body went off the tree, to his surprise, grabbed the hat, and tossed it towards Edna, who caught it.

"T-Thank you, sir. I'm going to go look for my friend now, I think I'm lost."

The shadow shrugged, and Edna turned around to brush the dust off his cap. He turned around and the shadow was gone.

 

------------------------------------

 

Edna continued to walk around the forest, and Cheesemaster continued to look for him.

 

Edna ran and ran until he was completely out of breath, and then collapsed in a clearing. He decided it might just be better to rest until he was either found, or when he was rested up and could possibly use his PSI to try and contact him. If he hadn't been so out of breath, he would have slapped himself for not doing that earlier.

 

Edna rolled onto his back. He didn't care that his shirt was getting dirty-he was too tired to find a better resting place. He laid there, his hand on his chest, his other on the ground, his eyes shut as he breathed heavily in and out, when he heard the flapping of wings and a soft, British voice say something. His eyes jerked open, thinking it to be Sheena, but the penguin was nowhere to be found-he slowly moved his head around as well as he could, and eventually saw an eagle resting on a branch.

 

"I said, are you alright?" Said the soft voice again. He realized the eagle was talking to him. He was too tired to get up, so he merely looked at the eagle.

"I'm fine. I got lost and I'm resting," Edna breathed. He laid there for a few more moments, his eyes shut, and then he looked at the eagle, puzzled. "Why are you British?"

 

The Eagle cocked its head. "What do you mean?"

"I thought eagles were always American."

The eagle's feathers ruffled, it cocked its head a few more times, and spread its large, majestic wings and flew down by Edna's side. "No, no. No always. You know they originally didn't want an eagle-"

"One of them wanted a turkey," Edna strained to say, but he smiled.

"Very good, I see you paid attention in class."

"Oh no, my friend taught me," Edna said, as the eagle checked him up and down for injuries. "Taught me history, I mean. of different places. Like England, Germany, Japan, America, and some other places."

 

The eagle spread its wings again, but kept them spread for a few seconds, and Edna felt strange for a few moments. He then sat up.

 

"That's odd," He said, "I felt so tired a few moments ago. I feel fine now."

"My name is LifesEagle, by the way," She said. "And you're welcome," She grumbled.

"For what?" Said Edna angrily.

"For healing you! I gave you energy!"

"Well how was I supposed to know that!"

"I don't know how, but you're supposed to! Now worship me!!!"

"No!"

"Do it!"

"No!"

"Leave 'im alone, LifesEagle," Came a voice. LifesEagle cocked her head and Edna looked.

 

A tall, thin man walked out of the deep shadows of the forest, but did not go into the light of the clearing.

He was tall-unbelieveably tall. And thin. He wore brownish pants decorated with little moons and swirled lines made of little dots that sparkled, possibly gems. He wore a large, oversized men's shirt that had the first two buttons unbuttoned and was stained with dirt. Five buttons hung down below his waistline, showing it was oversized. He wore a large, dark brown checked coat with only one button buttoned. But it was the hair you noticed first.

 

His hair was incredibly long; it was even longer than Aloysius Ahrroww's. It reached several inches below the man's knees, while Aloysius's only went to about three inches below his hips. The hair was black-blacker than black. It was Dark Black. It cascaded, for lack of better word, down from his head to behind his body, widened out with a backdrop of the dark-black hair going past where his elbows were (as his hands were in his pockets), and then thinned out to about two inches below the back of his knees, and ended in a dark brown hair holder and a small tuft of black hair coming out of that. But oddest of all was how the black hair completely covered the man's eyes; you could not see a single thing under them, so God knows how he himself saw anything. Coming out of the sides of his head were two curved, pointed things, like...horns?

 

"You! You're the shadow man!" Shouted Edna. "You gave me back my hat."

The man leaned on one leg, looked into space, and said nothing.

"I'm over here," Said Edna.

"I know that," The man snapped. "I'm not blind." His voice was not deep yet still sounded deep, was not sinister and yet was. He said nothing more.

"Who are you?" Asked Edna.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, uhm...what's your...name?"

"Not Telling You My Name."

"OK, I understand," Edna said sadly.

"No, kid. That's my name."

Edna looked confused, but he'd heard odder names, so he shouldn't have been. "Can I just call you Not Telling?"

"Sure."

Edna was silent. "Where'd you get a name like that?"

"Found it."

"How do you find a name?"

"How do you think you find one? I found it, like you find a dollar on the street. See, my old name was stolen."

"How was-"

"The same way your dollars get stolen. Anyway, I went as Name Got Taken for a while, then I changed to Name got Stolen because that was more accurate. I found this name in a dark alley."

"Odd place to find a name," Said Edna. He wondered why the eagle hadn't said anything yet.

"Anything else you want to know?"

"What are you?"

"An elf," Said Not Telling. "An Umbrese elf. An elf of the moon, of the dark."

"Is that why you were a shadow earlier?"

"Sure, why not?"

So those are ears, not horns, thought Edna. Made sense.

 

"Can you help me?" Asked Edna, "Both of you. I lost my friends."

"You lost your friends? Gee, that's even worse than a name to lose. Maybe you can check the forest lost and found."

Edna raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"Lost people go there sometimes. It's always humans."

"What do you mean?"

"It's mostly just elves like me here," Said Not Telling, "Or animals."

"I see," said Edna.

"What are your friends?"

"Uh-a human, an alien who is kind of like a human, a cheese-boy who is pretty much human, and a catgirl."

"Hmmm. Doesn't seem they'd get lost easily."

"I'm a drawing, if it matters," said Edna. "I was originally going to wait for them to find me."

"Lost things don't find you, you only find them. A lost dollar or name won't come back if you wait for it."

"But I don't know where to look!"

"Sometimes what you're looking for is right in front of you," Said Not Telling. "I looked for my favorite coat for a century and a half and never found it until I bothered to actually check the area where I least expected it, which was on my person."

"You lost your coat that was on you for a century and a half?!" Shouted Edna.

"No," Said Not Telling. "It wasn't on me when I first lost it. When I stopped searching it was on me. So I must have found it at one point in that time period, but I don't quite remember. When you live as long as me, centuries can sometimes pass as long as days."

"Lucky," Edna whispered wistfully. He sighed and stood up. He moped over to the next clearing, where there was much shouting; a few seconds later, Cheesemaster emerged with Edna in his arms.

 

"Edna!!! Edna!!!" He shouted; the two boys fell to the ground, and Leguan. Alienfreak, and Kat slowly entered the clearing.

"Hello there, LifesEagle," Leguan and Alienfreak said in unison.

"Don't you ever wander off like that again, Edna!!!" Cheesemaster shouted. Edna started to cry.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cheesemaster!!!"

"Are these your friends," Said Not Telling, his voice, which had been monotone the entire time, suddenly growing worried. He took a few steps back, and then vanished altogether.

 

Edna stood up, and looked for Not Telling.

"Well where'd he go?" He asked Lifeseagle.

"Not Telling hates more than two people around him," She explained, and Edna frowned. "But I was just getting to know him."

LifesEagle ruffled her feathers and was about to fly off. "Don't worry. Just come back with less people."

 

LifesEagle flew off into the forest, and Leguan and Alienfreak stepped into the clearing. "Well, I think it's about time we caught the train home, ah?" Said Alienfreak, "We gathered all the plants we wanted."

 

------------------------------------------

 

The train ride back home went most uneventfully. No suicides, no stops in Longdon, or anything else. Edna said he saw the stick man again, but Cheesemaster told him he was imagining it as he completed a book of word puzzles, as he had finished all the books he had brought with him.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

The next day, the five of them stopped back in the Port of Cheese, where Cheesemaster and Edna were surprised to find what seemed like themselves on their street corner, but was merely Cheese Woman and Sterling in disguise when they remembered. Jakob Rabbitt was harassing them, when Cheesemaster and Edna walked over.

 

Jakob stopped mid-sentence, and glared at the boys, and then back at the girls, and did this many times, though staring at the girls longest in utter confusion.

"What in God's good name is going on here?!" He said in a voice that was neither a whisper nor a roar. Cheese Woman took off her cap and fake glasses.

 

"It's me, Cheese Woman," She said in her normal, undisguised voice. Jakob gasped. "Then who is-"

Sterling gulped.

"Who is that, then?!"

Sterling had never felt quite this afraid in her entire life. She'd done many things that Jakob had said were bad-she'd befriended Cheesemaster and Edna, and now Cheese Woman; she'd played with the boys as well, and been kind to them; among other things. But if he caught her disguised as the chimney sweep shoe-shine boy, she'd be severely punished-or maybe even beaten.

"Come on! Off with your guise, I can see you're not the real chimney sweep!!!"

 

Cheesemaster and Edna took a few steps back in fear of what would happen, and then Cheesemaster picked Edna up and cradled him. Cheese Woman also stood back with him.

 

Sterling sighed, in such a way that she may have started sobbing then and there. She threw off her hat, unveiling her luscious curled hair, and then snapped her eyes shut and braced herself for what was to happen.

 

And what they all expected to happen, certainly did happen.

 

"STERLING ALAI RABBITT!!!" Screamed Jakob, furious not quite good enough a word for the emotion he put out. "WHAT THE #### ARE YOU DOING?!"

Cheesemaster covered Edna's ears, but it didn't keep him from burying his tiny head into his chest.

 

"Jakob, I-"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR EXCUSE IS!! SO THIS IS WHERE YOU'VE BEEN THE PAST THREE DAYS WHILE I WAS WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU?! WHAT THE #### HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?!" He said again.

"Well I-Jakob-I-I-I was-I was helping Cheese Woman do the papers while he was away-" of course referring to Cheesemaster and Edna-"A-a-a-and she asked me to d-d-do the shoe-shine stand for her-"

 

Jakob swooped down and clutched Sterling's shirt collar.

"And you did that shoe-shine stand?"

"Y-yes, sir!"

"And you acted as a chimney sweep?"

"Yes, sir!"

"YOU DARED TO MUDDY YOUR GOOD FAMILY NAME WITH THE LOW-CLASS STAINS OF A DAMNED CHIMNEY SWEEP AND SHOE-SHINE BOY?! HOW DARE YOU DIRTY OUR GOOD FAMILY NAME!! YOU GOT FRIENDLY WITH THEM FIRST BUT I NEVER EXPECTED THIS TO HAPPEN!!! YOU'RE AS GOOD AS THEM!!!" He shouted, and was now gathering quite the crowd.

 

"Sir, may I step in now and say what a horrid thing it is to be doing this in front of a large crowd?" Shouted Alienfreak.

"SHUT UP!!!" He shouted to her. "YOU DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER EITHER, YOU DAMN WOMAN CHEMIST!! A WOMAN CANNOT BE A CHEMIST!!!

 

"Marie Curie," Cheesemaster said bluntly, pushing his glasses up his nose.

Jakob dropped Sterling. "What?" He said, his voice hoarse from screaming.

"I said, Marie Curie."

"What the #### are you talking about, Newsie?"

"Marie Curie. A female chemist. And not a modern day one either."

Jakob glared at him, and slowly walked toward him. "You. You damned newsie. You damned heathen. YOU GOD-DAMNED ATHEIST NEWSIE ENGINEER," He said, his voice rising. He was finally in front of him, and clutched his collar, though he did not pick him up or drag him closer, he merely leaned in to his face to threaten him. Jakob was now close enough to be breathing onto Cheesemaster's glasses, which he did.

 

"Don't you ever talk back to me, newsie, you will speak when I speak to you, which is NEVER," He said, and stopped.

"Sir-"

"I WASN'T FINISHED," Jakob said through gritted teeth, but Cheesemaster spoke anyway.

"Sir, stop breathing on my glasses like that. Fogging them up makes them dirty and I have to clean them."

Jakob laughed shrewdly in his face, let go of his collar, and took a few steps back. "Ha! Ha!! You don't see me cleaning my own eyes, do you?!"

Cheesemaster suddenly grew tense. "Is that a..."

"There are too many ways in which I am better than you, newsie! And one of them is that of the two of us, I am the one with the best eyesight!"

Cheesemaster's fists clenched, ready to strike. He told himself over and over and over: No more fighting, no more fighting, even if they make fun of the nice glasses that your father gave you before he-"

 

But it didn't matter. Jakob was on the ground, with Cheesemaster clutching and stretching his collar so far up, Jakob was beginning to choke and spurt out saliva.

Cheesemaster leaned, his glasses hanging off his face only by the edges of his ears, touching Jakob's face. "I don't take too kindly to comments about my eyesight," He said, raising a fist and pounding Jakob in the side of the face with it, causing Sterling to gasp. "Nor do I take kindly to comments about my friends," He said nonchalantly, plunging his other fist into the other side of Jakob's face. He was now coughing up blood and saliva.

 

"You damned newsie," Jakob coughed. "You're completely uncontrollable. You are the wolf and I am the poor rabbit, the poor innocent songbird-"

Cheesemaster gritted his teeth. "Don't you EVER use Harper Lee's analogy for your own pitiful, bigoted self, Jakob," Cheesemaster muttered in an offended, and incredibly angered, voice.

Jakob coughed again. "I don't know what the #### you're talking about, newsie."

"An American author, and a woman."

Jakob laughed, showing it was not painful for him to do so as he did it heartily and lifted his upper body up.

 

After his fit of laughter, he clutched Cheesemaster's collar. "A woman can't write."

Cheesemaster grunted, and then managed to say, "Mary Shelley, Emily Dickenson, Jane Austen, J.K. Rowling, Emily Bronte-"

"And only the English can write!!" He shouted.

Cheesemaster cleared his throat and started again: "Mark Twain, Stephen King, Jules Verne, Oscar Wilde, Gaston Leroux-" He said, and freed himself from Jakob's grip. "Those on that first list, all women, the second, all non-English.

"I knew that, you stupid heathen." He said, and they both got up. Voices came from around them asking to stop fighting. "That bloody boat I've been riding, the Verne, has been giving me the books that damn Frenchman wrote," He muttered, "And I burned them."

Cheesemaster's eyes grew wide with anger.

"I thought have four eyes would be better than having two, and would help a man pick out quality better-"

 

Jakob regretted his words, as he was once again out on the ground, after having had Cheesemaster throw a punch once again. Sterling was crying. Cheese Woman ended up dragging Cheesemaster away from the scene when Jakob got up, yelling "Four-eyed heathen newsie! Four-eyed heathen newsie!" Over and over, each time with Cheesemaster trying to escape her grip to go attack him. He yelled the phrase over and over, after he picked up and almost literally dragged her back to the Rabbitt Manor.

 

After Cheesemaster had calmed down just enough so he wouldn't chase after Jakob, Cheese Woman turned him around, took off his glasses, and slapped him-then put them back on his face.

"Cheesie, How many times do I have to tell you, don't pick fights with people over this!! I know you don't like people insulting you-"

"I don't give a damn if he calls me a heathen or a newsie. I don't care if he stabs me in the back, buries me alive, shoots me in the head, throws me off a cliff, ties a stone to me and drowns me, or anything else. I've been threw enough of that before. I don't care. But you don't make fun of my glasses, the glasses my father gave me, the one thing I have that he gave me-"

"Cheesie."

He sighed, and fell into her arms. "I keep telling myself not to beat people up over it anymore. But I can't help it."

 

The crowd eventually went away (with help from Kat, who promised to send her mafia and make them forget), and Cheesemaster and Edna invited Cheese Woman in for tea and telling of their adventure.

[Mushroom_king]

[Okay, my droogies, here's the currently-planned schedule for Character Stories. Because nobody voted in the poll and it ended in a tie between Arkcher and Hoops (who both got two votes), I'm going to not care any of your opinions and going with what I wanna do. o, my brothers.]

 

[PLANNED AS OF NOW: subject to change

-Arkcher Ahrroww

-Hoops Ahshirt

-Lilyraven Ulyssius Lucius Zyzyx (new character)

-Roger

-Taynio

-Edgar Alan King]

 

[Note: I am currently occupied with school, friends, and Underground Club at school, as well as reading and video games. so don't be expecting as many chapters as you got in the summer.

[Horatio]

[Okay, my droogies, here's the currently-planned schedule for Character Stories. Because nobody voted in the poll and it ended in a tie between Arkcher and Hoops (who both got two votes), I'm going to not care any of your opinions and going with what I wanna do. o, my brothers.]

 

[PLANNED AS OF NOW: subject to change

-Arkcher Ahrroww

-Hoops Ahshirt

-Lilyraven Ulyssius Lucius Zyzyx (new character)

-Roger

-Taynio

-Edgar Alan King]

 

[Note: I am currently occupied with school, friends, and Underground Club at school, as well as reading and video games. so don't be expecting as many chapters as you got in the summer.

Great to know that you have lots going on, we will miss your exciting chapters, but we totally understand.

[Mushroom_king]

[THIS IS ONE LONG CHAPTAR]

 

[is it eyferghat or eyeferghat? I don't know]

 

Dawn rode on the top of the Sea Dragon she had drawn, seemingly unfathomed that a picture she had drawn had come to life just like that. She didn't realize it very often, but taking her Alliance forms changed her into a very different person.

 

"There's Dawn," Mushroom said, keeping one eye on the monster and one on her approaching friend. She shakily stood up, and shouted Dawn's name.

Dawn moved her head slightly, looking at Mushroom with narrow, dead-looking eyes, covered with thick black eyeliner and eyeshadow. Dawn stood up, and raised her glaive, pointing it towards the monster as though commanding it.

 

Suddenly, she spun the glaive around, and leaped into the air, bringing it down onto the creature's head.

"Dead Perfection," She said, in a yelling voice that at the same time sounded like a monotone whisper. The scythe end of the weapon cleaved into the monster's head, releasing a tidal wave of blood and an earth-shattering roar of pain emitted from it. Dawn struck it downwards with the glaive end of the weapon, and was caught just in time by her own Sea Dragon, which she clutched lovingly as she whispered something to it. The sea dragon rose even higher out of the water, with Dawn climbing over its midsection, as the mouth of the dragon dove into the water with a splash that drenched the other four; the enormous black masses that were parts of the monster were quickly devoured by it. It rose from the depths with the discoloured blood splashed over its face and bits of its flesh wedged in between its teeth. Dawn, in the first change of emotion since she had become her Dead Alliance form, hugged the dragon's enormous mouth and smiled as she petted its scaled head. A split-second of dark covered her entire body for a moment, and she changed back into the Green Haze Dawn, which caused her pet to descend back into the ocean, now that she no long had power over it.

 

"Dawn!!" Shouted her four friends as she fell towards the water, tired from using her stronger powers. Blood Queen flew swiftly over to her friend and caught her, and awkwardly placed her over her shoulder. She, too, was tired-she had, after all, done most of the fighting. Vanilla slowly floated over to Mushroom, and sat herself onto the flying guitar, followed by Blood Queen; the five then were covered with differently-coloured lights, and changed back to normal. They were about to fall asleep when they remembered:

 

"Edna!!!"

 

The five of them fell into the cold water (helping to wake them up), and Mushroom, determined to make up for not fighting, dove underwater to find their young friend. Her head swam with terrified thoughts, and prayed to the Dreamtopian Gods that he be alright.

 

On the surface, the other four were shivering, with PMM shouting hysterically about how they would die if they stayed out here much longer and how he would never visit the ocean again.

 

Mushroom appeared on the surface again, cradling Edna; his body was pruny from spending so much time underwater and covered with scars from being in the midst of the fight, but he appeared to be breathing.

"We have to take him back up, and fast," She said, though she didn't need to tell the other four something so obvious. "It's getting late, anyway. Me and Arkcher are going out tonight for my birthday. If anything bad happens then..."

 

Her voice trailed off as the tired group made their way back up to shore.

 

------------------------------------------------

 

"Edna? Edna?! Edna!!"

 

Mushroom and her friends had made it to shore and had collapsed asleep on the sand, while Cheesemaster desperately tried to wake up Edna; Arkcher was in hysterics over MK's condition, despite that she was only asleep.

 

Edna slowly opened his eyes, and rolled over onto his stomach. Cheesemaster took a towel and placed it over him, and moved over so as to put his head down next to him on the bench. "Edna? Are you awake?"

Edna rolled over again, very slowly, so in order to face Cheesemaster. He groaned an almost inaudible yes, and shut his eyes again and fell fast asleep.

Cheesemaster sighed in relief. "Thank Goodness."

 

Arkcher looked at the sky, and the back at Mushroom. "What's the time, Cheesemaster?"

"My coat should be over there, and my watch inside it."

Arkcher leaned over and just barely grabbed the edge of Cheesemaster's brown roundabout jacket, with the silver chain of his pocketwatch hanging down from the breast pocket. He carefully pulled it out, and examined it for a split-second before opening it-it was silver with a golden engraving of the Swissconsin steam trains, the watch Leguan had gotten him-and then clicked it open.

 

"Well, we haven't been here as long as I thought," He said with relief. "We still have time before I'm to take Mushroom to Eyfergaht," He said. He sighed, and looked back at his wife, stroking her hair.

"You think she'll be okay?" He said quietly. Cheesemaster nodded, and smiled at his friend. "I think it's best if we take them back to the Best Friends of Horatio Club to rest. This isn't a good place for it."

 

Arkcher stood up, and looked over at Kat, who was now up and moving. "I guess I can carry Mushroom and PMM, Kat can carry Blood Queen, and you can carry Edna and Vanilla."

"Sounds good enough to me," He said, and the three of them did so.

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Back at the BFoH Club, Cheesemaster and Arkcher had taken their friends up to their rooms, and let them rest upon the couches and beds; they were all so tired they didn't wake up while being carried or driven to the Club Building. Arkcher had pulled on his blazer and Cheesemaster had put on his sweater and jacket, as well as stuffing his gloves and scarf into his newspaper bag.

 

"Guess we might as well wait," Arkcher moped, "Wait for 'em to be well rested." He sighed, and then said softly, "I hope our plans will still work out."

He sat down on the armchair next to Mushroom's bed, where PMM laid curled up next to her, along with Dawn and Vanilla, and Blood Queen laying at the edge of the bed.

 

"So you haven't said," He said, changing the subject, "You don't talk about your occupation very much. You told me about that...thing that happened while you were in Hindenburg. Who's your replacement right now?"

"Still Cheese Woman," Cheesemaster said, sitting down in the armchair across from Cheesemaster, and setting his leather bag on the floor. "She's willing to do a lot for me. She even gives me the profits she makes," He said, and then he blushed. "I insist she doesn't but she does anyway. So I insist she just gives me enough for my food. She still insists on giving it all to me. I feel so horrible when she does," He said, looking at the ground in shame. "I feel bad taking money from a lady. Especially such a nice one as Cheese Woman."

 

"Hey, don't feel so bad about it. She's just worried about you. She's worried about you and Edna getting by. She always has been. I mean, you and Edna combined doesn't make that much, does it?"

"Enough for books and food," Said Cheesemaster, smiling. "In that order. I can make my own clothes."

Arkcher giggled. "Well, that's good to hear that you're getting by alright." He sighed, and then started again. "I can't help it, though. I see you and I feel bad because me and dad make a pretty alright sum of money from inventing."

"Don't feel so bad. It wouldn't be right," Cheesemaster said, looking at him, and then at Mushroom.

"Although headlines here are so boring, it's hard to sell."

"Why not make something up?"

 

Cheesemaster's eyes shot open. "Arkcher Ahrroww! You know lying is against my morals."

Arkcher looked at the ceiling. "That's good to hear. Good to hear people have morals nowadays. That makes two of us. But what do you mean, by boring headlines?"

"Well, I'm sure when the news arrives about the monster attacks here in the city, it'll sell like crazy. That'll be good. I've been saving up money for this really nice book I saw at the used bookstore."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"A Tolstoy novel," He said. " 'War and Peace'. Real nice leather edition."

"Why not just get paperback?"

"Paperbacks don't last quite as long and the covers bend. All of my books are hardbacks. A select few personal favorites of mine are leatherbound editions. Those are quite expensive."

"You can't be spending what little cash you've got on stuff like that, Cheeseman."

Cheesemaster cleared his throat. " 'When I get a little money, I buy books; if I have any left over I buy food and clothes,' " He recited.

 

Arkcher looked at his friend for some time. "That's deep. You make it up yourself?"

"No, it's a quote. I can't quite remember who said it, however."

"Well, it's definitely your kind of quote," He said. He slid down into his chair, and sighed again. Cheesemaster began to talk again.

"I've done pretty good just selling papers at my one spot, though I'm a little worried about the Port growing. You know it's a pretty small town-not quite as small as Longdon, but still, rather small. My house is in an area that everyone stops by on their way to work, or wherever else they go during the day. I do pretty good. But...if the city grows bigger, or if they actually take that abandoned half of the town and do something with it, I guess I'd be forced to have to run around town, yelling my head off to make money. Or get someone to help me. But who else is going to help me sell papers?"

 

"Cheese Woman?" Arkcher suggested. "Kat's willing."

"Kat's got her own things to do. She owns half of Hamsterdam, Arkcher, don't you know? Her and her mafia? She lives in a box because she has a curious fascination with the homeless. But you know she owns an apartment. I don't mean a room, I mean the entire complex. Fried Dragon Palace, and probably lots of other places I don't even know of. I'll bet she even owns some places. She's awful busy. Even I don't know what she does in her free time. I don't think she knows what she does in her free time."

Arkcher laughed. "I don't understand Kat very well. But she's...well, she's really very smart, though in a very different way than most people think when they hear the word."

"I guess you're right."

"What about Cheese Woman?"

"I'd rather not burden her with that duty. She's certainly willing and able, but I fear for how Jakob would treat her. He's already quite sour to her, though he doesn't express it nearly as much as he does with me. Of all the ladies I know, she's far too delicate for that sort of thing. Mushroom or Kat would be more able to take it."

"You're wrong about Mushroom. She's horrible with insults. She's not good with harsh words. And seeing what Jakob would say to her makes me cringe with fear. Besides, she's probably not very willing."

 

Cheesemaster looked at the ceiling. "And Edna is still a bit too young."

"Say, shouldn't he be starting school soon?"

Cheesemaster looked at Arkcher. "Invision has schools?"

Arkcher took a deep breath. "Well, yeah. There's a tiny university up in Taynio that the titular man himself attends," He said jokingly. "But other than that, I've never heard of one. I mean, he turned five a little bit ago, right?"

"Sort of. I don't know his birthday so we made one up. But yeah, I guess so."

"Well, maybe you ought to look into that?"

"Maybe. He's really good as a shoe-shiner. I get a lot of good business from it. I give him a little bit as pocket money, and he goes out and buys food for us. I tell him it's his money and he can get whatever he wants with it but he stills just buys the needs."

 

"Then he's just like Cheese Woman, he's just worried about your well-being. Perhaps even moreso than she worries-after all, it was he himself who tried to persuade you to not adopt him because he worried about you being a burden on yourself."

"Turns out he wasn't, I make more money with him with me, I guess people just like the cute kid-well, that and his shoe-shine stand. He even offers to sweep chimneys still. But everyone knows he's an orphan, I guess they feel a little sorry for him," Cheesemaster said, and then quietly added, "I felt sorry for him."

 

The two were quiet for some time before seeing Mushroom stir and roll over onto her stomach, and moaned as though dreaming; both looked up at her, and Arkcher sighed.

"This is horrible," he said, his voice almost on the verge of tears. "I feel so helpless...so useless. I couldn't defend her during that fight on the ocean. She was the one rescuing me."

"You sound as though you're about to break down crying. Please don't," Said Cheesemaster, smiling nervously. He knew Arkcher's emotions were rather unstable and he might lash out if he took even the tiniest thing the wrong way.

 

"I'm alright. I'm just so worried about her, and...I need some answers. I need some answers as to why she transformed. I mean...earlier on today, we had lunch and then a monster attacked us-it knocked me out cold. I woke up just in time to see Mushroom deliver a final blow. I thought I may have hallucinated it. Now I know I didn't."

 

"Well, I'm sure she'll explain everything when she needs to. Don't press her about it."

"I know, I know. A good gentleman never forces a lady to tell more than she wants to. Thanks. I'll be sure to remember that."

"Good, good," He said, laughing. He sighed, and looked over at the sleeping Edna. "I hope he didn't get a cold from being in the water so long. I'm so dreadfully worried..."

"You and I both. Now come on-I'm going to shower and change. My hair is a horrible mess. Certainly not fitting to go out to a fancy place like Eyeferghat," He said, and ran off, his arms covering his head.

 

Cheesemaster sat in his chair for some time, looking at Edna and Mushroom. Yes, they were both very, very worried, and very confused, but he knew everything would be explained with given time.

 

With Arkcher in the shower, Cheesemaster had plenty of time to think quietly. He remembered how Dawn looked when she had transformed; that black attire had been blacker than any clothing he'd seen. She looked so much older as well-her eyes full of something sinister, definitely not the sweet Dawn he was such good friends with. She seemed like an entirely different person, and yet at the same time she still seemed like Dawn. It was strange, and he shook his head, attempting to rid the train of thought from his mind.

 

He looked over at the sleeping Dawn again, and leaned back into his chair, grabbing a book, and began to read to pass the time.

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

What seemed like forever passed, with Cheesemaster only glancing up from his book to wonder why Arkcher took so long to just wash his hair and brush it. Sure, he had a lot of hair, but taking his long was not needed. He sighed, and read for a bit longer, when he heard one of the girls groan. He looked up, and saw Mushroom's eyes half-open. He placed a bookmark into his book, and set it down so he could look at her.

 

"Are you alright?" He asked, and she blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes. "Ugh. Sleepglue. How gross."

He giggled, and Mushroom slowly sat up. "How long did I sleep? Where's Arkcher?"

"He's in the shower," Cheesemaster explained. "When were you supposed to go out to eat?"

"I think about six," She said.

"Well...It's almost six right now."

"Are you kidding?!" She shouted, leaping out of the bed. Dawn and Blood Queen's eyes shot open, before they, too, rubbed away the crust from their own eyes. Vanilla sleepily opened her large green eyes before heading back to sleep.

"What happened?" Dawn asked, not really knowing where she was, as Blood Queen sat up, apparently ready to go out. Dawn looked around, and moved her torso up, shaking Vanilla's body, telling her to wake up.

 

Mushroom went and banged on the door to the bathroom.

"ARCKHER!! What the #### are you doing?! We need to get going!!"

"What time is it?" He shouted. "I'm not even close to being finished!!"

"You're going to have to finish soon because I still have to get ready! It's almost six!!"

A large thump that was presumed to be a dropped bottle of hairgel was heard, and a low-pitched, rare noise, Arkcher swearing, was heard. The door was flung open; Arkcher was dressed now in a much cleaner, much blacker suit, different from his beloved school uniform, with a black tie and a vest underneath. It wasn't much different from his normal attire, and yet he still looked even better than usual. Dawn and Blood Queen both, sitting on the bed still, looked at him for an unusual amount of time before shaking their heads and turning bright pink.

 

"Go on, Mushroom," Arkcher said, clearing his throat and trying to sound pleasant but failed, only sounding rushed. "I'll wait for you. It's your night. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," She said. She shut the door, and Dawn, Blood Queen, and the now-awake Vanilla sat in silence.

"What are we going to do?" Vanilla wondered, referring to the girls and Cheesemaster.

"I was going to go to Planet Horatio's tonight, since that's where Mushroom is having her real birthday party," Cheesemaster said, walking over to Kat and Edna (asleep on the couch), both of whom were waking up because of the noise, Kat moreso than Edna.

"Dammit! Why did you wake me up?! I was was having that dream where you and Arkcher were sponges living in a giant inflatable apartment who reproduce asexually and watch Don Bluth movies in your spare time! It was such a good dream! And before that, I dreamed I lived with Fred & George Weasely in a giant fridge/shower, and we were wearing Fred Flintstone costumes and watching My Little Pony movies together. What a great dream. and you had to interrupt it, you big douche! Now I'll go back to sleep later and have that horrible nightmare where a giant kiddy ride attacks me and tries to eat me!"

 

"Sorry, Kat. We're all going out to dinner soon, though; Arkcher and Mushroom are going to Eyeferghat, and the rest of us are going to Planet Horatio to wait for them."

"Why is Planet Horatio the only place we ever go to? Aren't there any other restaurants here?"

"Just Mama Luigi's and Eyeferghat."

"Oh, fine. Planet Horatio it is."

Kat stood up out of the bed and looked around aimlessly, and then began to pace about the room as she waited. Cheesemaster sat down on the bed, next to Edna, gently prodding him to wake up. Kat sat down on the floor, and grabbed the notepad and pen from the table and began drawing something with a pack of scented magic markers she always carried, often stopping to sniff them and then sighing with happiness.

 

"Edna? Are you awake?" Cheesemaster said softly, and Edna grunted, rolled onto his back, and slowly opened his eyes, just before rubbing them. He stretched, and looked up at his friend.

"How long did I sleep?" He asked, looking around. "What's going on?"

"Arkcher and Mushroom woke up late for their dinner, and they're hurrying to get ready," Cheesemaster explained.

"Oh," Edna said. "That's too bad. I hope their reservation doesn't get cancelled."

"They'll be fine. The rest of us are going to go to Planet Horatio soon though. So when those two leave, the rest of us will get ready."

"Okay then," Edna said. His voice still sounded sleepy.

 

Edna jumped off of the bed and stretched in an attempt to wake himself up, his arms and legs pressed tightly against each other so he formed a straight line with his body. He lifted a leg in an almost clockwork-toy fashion, and spun his arms to keep from falling as he struggled to keep balance. He finally did the smart thing and put both feet flat on the ground, arms outstretched, and slowly lowered them to his side. He stared into space for a moment, and then looked at his friend. "I think I'm awake now," He said, smiling, and went to find a clean, non-wrinkled shirt and pair of shorts.

 

Cheesemaster stood up, and walked over to the window to see what the weather was like. The night was clear, with many stars twinkling in the sky. He leaned against the clear panes, careful to not touch them with anything but his gloved hand lest he get prints all over them. He stared, almost longingly, at the glittering sky above him. Somewhere in the expanse of blackness, was his home, his little planet of Earth. He'd heard other Invisionists, even his good friend Mushroom, say their low opinions of his home, of how blissfully arrogant his fellow species was; he didn't like it either, and wished his home was involved with the other planets, but he still loved his home.

 

"What're you thinking about?" Mushroom asked, standing behind him. Cheesemaster snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her; his glasses slipped down his nose in the heat of the room, reminding himself to turn the AC on later. But the sweat alone wasn't what surprised him; rather, the way his good friend was dressed.

 

Mushroom was now dressed in a knee-length, silky green dress, with a pair of green jeans underneath and shiny black flats. Her hair was dried and glossy, and for the first time ever, she was wearing makeup. The pink streaks she had in her blond hair offset the semiformal look she had. He'd never seen her in such a feminine outfit; he was far too used to her normal attire of men's clothing.

"M-Mushroom?"

She giggled.

He cleared his throat. "I'm terribly sorry. It's just a shock to see-It's so strange to see you in such womanly clothes."

She stared at him with her large eyes. "I guess I don't dress like this very often. It's going to be hard wearing makeup all night. It's been so long since I actively wore any. I'll have to remember to not rub my eyes or wipe my lips with my hand like I always do."

The two giggled, and Mushroom groaned. "I hate this kind of stuff, though! I had to argue with Arkky endlessly so he would let me wear the jeans and these shoes. I wish I had my tennis shoes back, though. He actually checked the restaurant's website to see if they would allow me to wear any jeans."

 

Cheesemaster giggled. "Well, he just wants this night to be very special for you. Especially after the events of today. It's been dangerous and hectic."

Mushroom suddenly grew tense, and Cheesemaster knew she wanted to avoid the subject.

"I can tell. You don't want to talk about it. I understand completely."

"Thank you," She said quietly, sighing.

"Mushroom!" Arkcher shouted, coming out of somewhere. "Are you coming? We're already late!"

"Yea," She shouted back, and put an arm around Cheesemaster before running off.

 

The door clicked shut as they left, leaving the rest of the group to slowly wake up and get ready for dinner and birthday parties at Planet Horatio.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

Outside the Hotel room, the finely-dressed Arkcher and Mushroom ran down the stairs, as if they were just heading for an outing, with Arkcher flying away, his hand barely settled into Mushroom's.

 

He ran outside into the clear night, thankful it wasn't pouring like it was last night, and hailed the nearest Taxi. He squeezed his wife's hand, as the lights of a cab shone into his eyes and the sound of an engine hummed up next to them. In the seat was Roger, oddly enough.

 

"We need a beeline to Plan-wait, no!!! We need a beeline for Eyeferghat, as fast as you can!" Arkcher said quickly, shoving himself into the cab before Roger could even say anything.

"Step on it!!" Arkcher shouted, as Mushroom held onto his arm. Roger didn't even have time to figure out prices.

"I'll pay you when we get to Planet Horatio, alright?" Arkcher pleaded as Roger lurched on the gas pedal. "Is that alright? Please say it's alright."

"It's alright!!" Roger shouted, an unlit, crunched-up cigarette hanging from his mouth. "Just pay me later! I'll have plenty of time to figure out a price!!"

"Thank you so much," Arkcher said, sighing. His body was still tense, but he was intent on not letting his face show it. He planned on tipping Roger finely for having done this for him, especially as he swung back and forth in the back seats of the car, having passed on the safety belts (much to Mushroom's dismay), as Roger skidded and sped across the city to Eyeferghat.

 

After many red lights ran and many honked horns, Roger screeched to a stop, and Arkcher almost threw himself and his wife out of the car, thanking Roger profusely. He stopped for split second to re-settle his hair and then ran into the restaurant.

[Horatio]

[ Phenomenal post! Thank you so much for the next chapter!!! This is a fantastic story!!!

*hands Mushroom_king a basket filled with fresh-from-the-oven bakes cookiefins* ]

[Mushroom_king]

[Okay, Okay, The next chapter is coming soon. It's a more romance-y chapter, with Arkky and Mushroom going to dinner and the return of Solrai & Aloysius. Dawn's Invision profile is coming soon, too. Until then, however, I'm working on and am almost done with a re-write of Chapter 59 (the climax of Shirley Locke's story). Look forward to it. I should have it up tonight.]

[Mushroom_king]

[Okay! here's a re-write of the climax of The Spy/Shirley Locke's story. with new, Professor Layton-inspired themes. enjoy.]

 

The Spy sat at Planet Horatio, thanking CampSoup for his help. Roger again sat down , his legs propped up on the table, a cigarette limply hanging out of his mouth.

 

"You know, Soup is very good for you. It's the only thing I ever eat. I get all my food groups and vitamins and minerals. I put chicken in it, veggies, fruits, and the pasta is grain. And I always drink hot chocolate and chocolate milk, because dairy is kind of gross in soup. And look how strong I am. I work all the soup off when I go hiking and camping and boating and rafting and mountain climbing and..." His voice trailed off as he listed all the things in nature he loved to do.

 

"Dr. Ahrroww, I believe it's best if you and I get going to this mysterious castle right away."

"Right away?" Aloysius said, looking at her with concern.

"Indeed, right away. I'd prefer this case be over soon-it's possibly the easiest, albeit strangest, case I've ever taken. I'd like to meet this mysterious stranger who lives in the castle."

Aloysius tried to say something about how dangerous it was, but he changed his mind, knowing she was a strong woman. The two thanked Campsoup again for his help, and left right away.

 

---------------------------------

 

Aloysius and The Spy walked outside, pulling their coats nearer to their bodies, and The Spy started walking quickly away, quickly followed by Aloysius. He was still worried about his new friend's safety, but said nothing-she could certainly take care of herself, it seemed, and he followed her until the two were just outside of the large city.

 

The outskirts of Hamsterdam were actually quite peaceful; very few people lived in the surrounding areas, which consisted mostly of hilly countryside and the rainforest just South of the city. The area was oddly silent, only interrupted by the occasional animals.

 

The two of them walked through the grassy, hilly areas, The Spy trying to not get her heels stuck in any ditches or holes; at one point, Aloysius offered his own shoes to her, but she declined.

Eventually the two did indeed find a large, stone castle; they had seen it on the horizon long before even getting to it. It was a wonder to think that such a thing had existed outside of town and they had not even known about it.

Aloysius and The Spy stood in front of the castle, looking up; the place did not look so much like a castle as it did some kind of fortress designed to look like a castle. The Spy looked toward Aloysius.

 

"Aloysius, I think it's best to prepare yourself for anything we might find. Just be careful," She said.

Aloysius shivered, both from the cold and from fear. "Are you even sure you want to come in here?"

She nodded. "Of course I do," She said calmly. "I'm not afraid of any monsters."

Aloysius smiled. "Of course."

 

Shirley stood in front of the castle/fort/building, and walked up to two enormous wooden doors, wondering how to get in. Not knowing any other way, she knocked.

Shirley stood back, in front of Aloysius, and knocked again. Just as she pulled away, the door creaked open a slight bit.

 

The Spy and Aloysius both looked at each other, and without a word, The Spy pulled the door open herself and walked inside, with Aloysius toting along after her.

 

--------------------------------

 

The Spy walked in, waited for Aloysius, and then pushed the door shut. The room was dark, and incredibly cold; even colder than outside. The Spy pulled her coat nearer to her, as Aloysius did with his own coat. The two stepped forward, The Spy's heels clicking on the stone floors, and she slowly began to walk faster, clearly not afraid of the cold, dark room.

 

She had been walking for a few minutes, when she was stopped short by three flames suddenly appearing in front of her; she gasped, took a step back, and the three flames revealed themselves to be fires from a candlestick. The man holding it looked just as Aloysius had described him, though they could now see all the fine details of his face and clothing. The chains and fastenings of his clothes were made of gold, it looked like; His hair was snow-white, his face pale, long, and thing; he had narrow golden eyes, and he stared at his two guests. After a moment, The Spy straightened up, adjusted her coat, and looked him in the eyes. He smiled at her, and began to talk.

 

"Wonderful to see you, Miss Locke."

"Miss...Locke?" Aloysius, asked, puzzled. She opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted.

"Dr. Ahrroww! How nice to see you," He began to say, before The Spy coughed and stopped him.

"Yes, Locke. Don't you remember, Dr. Ahrroww? The Spy was just a name. Just a name. Locke is my last name. My real name is Shirley Locke."

"Shirley Locke?" Aloysius said, and shook his head. "My God. I heard that name in the newspapers years ago."

"As I saw yours," She said nonchalantly.

 

The man changed the subject. "It's so nice having guests," He said, sounding genuinely happy. "Come this way. You can have dinner with me," He said, sounding too friendly-moreso then they had expected.

The two looked at each other, knowing full well this was intentionally deadly; but the two followed him anyway.

 

The two came into a spacious dining hall, reminding both of the Rabbitt Manor and, to a lesser extent, Arkcher's Mansion. The man sat at the very end of a table, with Shirley and Aloysius sitting at the opposite end. The two of them had been given a kettle of tea and some cups and saucers; their host opted for a glass of wine (questionable red liquid, Aloysius thought of it).

Shirlery poured herself and Aloysius some tea, and as she stirred sugar into it, she began to talk.

 

"Dr. Ahrroww, I believe you haven't been formally introduced to Mr. Vlad Tepes, have you?" She said, looking at Vlad straight in the eye.

"Not formally, no," Aloysius said, taking a drink after he said it. "Vlad Tepes, is it? Vlad Tepes and Shirley Locke. Interesting names, both of you."

Vlad giggled, though he sounded very threatening when he did so. Shirley did nothing.

"Dr. Aloysius Ahrroww and Miss Shirley Locke. How nice to see both of you," He said, folding his hands and resting his chin on top of them. He grinned, and said loudly and happily, "I've always had such an interest in your country! Indeed, I always wanted to visit! But I couldn't."

Shirley stopped for a moment, just as she was about to take a drink. "Why is that, Mr. Tepes?"

"I positively loathe the ocean," Vlad said, his happy face twisting with disgust. "You see, I had quite the traumatizing event when I was just a small boy near the ocean."

"And what might that be?" Shirley asked, setting her tea on the table.

 

Vlad frowned. "I do not wish to talk about it, Miss Locke. I would think you have better manners than that," He said, and made a Tsk-ing sound. "Disappointed! I'm so disappointed in you, Miss Locke!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Tepes. Forgive me," Shirley said coldly.

Vlad smiled again, his hands once again folded and his head resting on top. "Anyhow, I had no idea any English people lived in that city. I thought the only one was that Phoenix who lives across the ocean." He sighed, laughed, and then stared straight into the eyes of his guests, namely Aloysius's.

 

"So, Miss Locke, Dr. Ahrroww-may I ask why the two of you came all the way out to my house this late at night? I'm sure the two of you are dreadfully tired."

Aloysius's eyes grew wide and he wildly shook his head. "N-No! Certainly-"

"Of course we are," Shirley interrupted.

"Oh, I see," Vlad said. "Well, the two of you can stay the night here if you wish. But first, tell me your reasoning for coming out here so late."

Shirley cleared her throat and began explaining.

"I'm a detective, Mr. Tepes, as you should know. I'm currently investigating a case of serial murders."

Vlad gazed at her in awe, silently asking her to go on.

"In and around Hamsterdam, there are dead bodies left and right; each body is found with two neck wounds and found dead, apparently, of severe blood loss."

Vlad frowned. "I see. That's terribly awful. Have you come here to question me about what I know? I'll tell you now that I don't read the papers, nor do I get out much; I'm a terrible shut-in. I don't hear about anything," He said, smiling viciously. Shirley went on.

"Yes, Mr. Tepes; that, and many of the people in town have a reason to suspect you."

Vlad's narrow eyes became wider (though not much). "Me? A suspect? How dreadful."

"I know, isn't it? But me and the doctor are rather tired. Could we talk this over in the morning?"

Vlad sighed, and shut his eyes in thought. "I guess so."

 

"Thank you, Mr. Tepes," Shirley said, and took a long drink of her tea. She got up, motioned for Aloysius to follow, and Vlad clapped to gather the attention of an equally pale, thin servant to get beds made for the guests.

 

"T-Thank you, Mr. Tepes," Aloysius stuttered, bowing towards him. Vlad smiled at them both, and simply said "You're welcome. Have a good night."

 

------------------------------------------------

 

"Dammit, Shirley, have you gone completely insane?!"

 

Shirley and Aloysius had gone upstairs, led by a butler, to a spacious bedroom; the room was furnished with old-fashioned wooden furniture, including a comfortable couch, wardrobe, and two beds. There were no mirrors.

 

"Shirley, I don't think there's any argument that that man, if you can even call him that, is the culprit! He's the man I saw on the bridge, I swear-and he's just as Campsoup described him!"

"Campsoup's description may have shown some clues the man is a vampire," Said Shirley, "And indeed it's obvious that Vlad is one. But who's to say he's the culprit?"

"He matches the description, Shirley! I swear that's the man who attacked me the other night!"

Shirley sighed, and after taking off her coat, shawl, vest, cap, and heels, she climbed into the bed. "Get some sleep, Dr. Ahrroww."

"Sleep?! I won't be sleeping with a monster like that about!!"

"We'll be fine, Doctor. Remember who you're with."

Aloysius sighed, though he was still afraid and worried. He took off his shoes and suspenders, and climbed into his bed, though sleep evaded him for what seemed like hours.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Doctor. Doctor. Wake up, dammit!!!"

Aloysius was jerked awake, looked around, and gasped. Their beds were no where in sight; the two were fully dressed and inside a very small room. Aloysius looked around.

 

"W-Where the #### are we?!" He said, not thinking of anything; he spun around, and hit someone.

"You're in my storage room," Vlad Tepes said, and Aloysius gasped and backed away. "I put all my food in here."

Aloysius's eyes grew wide, and he gasped again. "You're kidding..."

Shirley walked towards him, and for the first time, she was not calm one bit.

"Explain this to me, Vlad! What are you going to do with us? I guess I was right to suspect you, wasn't I?"

"Indeed, Miss Locke. You suspected me for killing and feeding off the blood of several Hamsterdam residents, didn't you? It's too bad this is your last case, and it's even sadder that it'll remain unsolved."

"Vlad-"

"You were right to suspect me, Shirley. But don't blame me. It's not like I can help it."

"You're sick!" Aloysius shouted.

"It's the way I am," Vlad said. "You sure seem alright with that Rabbitt girl."

"Dawn doesn't go around murdering and feeding off people," Aloysius said bluntly.

"But then again, Doctor, she's in a whole different league than me," Vlad said, and began laughing.

"A Type I Vampire?" Shirley whispered.

"That's..."

"That's the dangerous kind," Shirley said.

"Well, I hate to leave you two, but I have some things to be doing; preparations have to be made. I've always wanted the blood of an Englishman," He said. He opened the door, stopped, and looked at Shirley. "And women." He slammed the door shut, locked it, and could be heard laughing as he walked away.

 

Aloysius backed away, deathly afraid of what was going to happen to him. "S-Shirley!" He said, on the verge of crying, "What on Invision are we going to do?!"

"Don't worry, Doctor. The absolute worst thing to do right now is fret. Your mind won't be able to think straight if you're not calm and collected," She said, though she still sounded upset and angry. "Come on. Let's figure out how to get out of here and defeat him. After all, your lady friend would be terribly upset if you were eaten, Hm?"

Aloysius smiled as best as he could, and tried to calm himself. "Alright, then. I'll calm down. But you need to find a way to get out of here, and as fast as you can," He said, his voice filled to the brim with fear.

 

Shirley looked around the room, at the door that had been locked; she walked over, felt it, and then turned and looked at Aloysius. Behind him, on the wall, a shelf held an axe-among other things.

"Doctor, hand me that axe behind you."

Aloysius did so, shakily walking over and handing the thing to her. "What are you going to do?" He asked her, and she grinned.

"Doctor, did you ever see The Shining?"

"I read the book," He said quietly. "Why?"

"Just asking," She asked. "Stand back."

 

Aloysius did so, and flinched as she raised the axe and swung it towards the door, causing an enormous banging noise. She shrugged it out, and hit it again, and again, and again, until she was able to climb out through the hole.

Shirley unlocked the door from outside, letting her companion out; the two looked around, and found themselves in a cold hallway.

"Come on," Shirley said, running down; she stopped as she ran, took off her heels, and continued running, despite her feet being cold now, as she was wearing pantyhose and not socks.

 

The two ran down the halls and corridors of the castle for a long time, only to literally run into Vlad Tepes again.

"How nice to see you both again," He said. "I would say I'm worried that my prey escaped, but maybe the thrill of the chase will be fun," He said, smiling sadistically. "Especially considering who it is."

"You'll do no such thing," Shirley said defiantly, "We'll both defeat you and bring you back to the police in Hamsterdam and have you apprehended for what you've done. I don't care if you need it to live. You can't be going around murdering people, Mr. Tepes."

"Would you prefer I changed them into vampires as well, so the town can be plagued by even more people like me?" He said, leaning over Shirley and moving towards her face. Shirley shifted uncomfortably away from him, backing into Aloysius.

"Now. I think you two need to be sorely punished for escaping, as well as wreaking my door, which I no-doubt you have."

 

Vlad looked at them for a moment, but the two ran in an attempt to escape; Vlad turned and ran very quickly after them.

Shirley clutched Aloysius's arm, as the two tried to outrun the vampire; the two ran down corridors, enormous stairwells, all of which were cold and dark, lit up only by the occasional candle. The two eventually found themselves on a balcony overlooking what they assumed might be a ballroom.

 

Shirley, being only human, had to stop and catch her breath whilst elven Aloysius could keep running; however, he stayed with her, making sure he was alright, when Vlad caught up to them.

"Finally got you," He said triumphantly. His eyes glittered with hunger, and he smiled viciously, revealing sharp teeth. He lunged towards the tired Shirley, who escaped with the aid of Aloysius, who grabbed her and jumped out of the way.

 

"Thank you, Doctor," She said weekly, clutching an aching side, "But I think I can handle him myself."

"Shirley, you have to run away. I'll fight him. I'm perfectly fine."

Shirley glared at him, and Vlad's eye twitched. "I'm not going to let one of you get away," He shouted, lunging towards her again; "I want both of you, and the weakest gets captured first!"

 

Shirley rolled away and got up, breathing heavily.

"Doctor, you have to get away. You have a family who's worried about you-I'll get out fine!"

Aloysius was reluctant, but at one more shout, he ran off, much to Vlad's contempt.

"He can't run from me forever," Vlad muttered, and he clutched Shirley's lapels. She stared him dead in the eye, angry.

 

"Don't assume I'm weak, Vlad," She said defiantly, and he laughed.

"Please, Miss Locke. Don't take what I said in the wrong direction. I'm not being sexist," He said, and clutched harder at her coat, "I'm just saying you're weak from running so much."

Vlad leaned towards her, leaning towards her neck, and he whispered, "It's a shame I have to do this, Shirley. You're really very pretty," And Shirley gasped as she felt a pain in her neck.

 

Below them, Aloysius had been running through what was assumed to be a ballroom, the sole room in the castle with warm and fanciful decor. He looked up as he heard Shirley yelp, and gasped as he saw Vlad sinking his teeth into her. He couldn't stand it, and before he knew it, was running back upstairs, grabbing a sword from a display that was conveniently nearby, and ran up to her aid.

 

Shirley had attempted to pry herself from Vlad's grip, but his undead strength, combined with her own fatigue, proved too much; she possibly would have died, had Aloysius not come swinging towards Vlad.

 

The sword Aloysius flimsily wielded made a tear in Vlad's cape, surprising him; he backed off, leaving Shirley alone. Aloysius swooped in just in time to save her from falling over. She collapsed to the ground, and Aloysius knew he must act quickly.

 

"I-I may not know how to use this very well," He said, raising the sword, "But I'm going to try and use it against you anyway."

Vlad grinned at Aloysius, laughed, and pulled his own blade from the depths of his baggy clothing. "Very well, then. Whoever falls first loses. You fall first, and you allow me to suck both of you dry. I fall first, I allow you both to escape. Is that fair, Doctor?"

Aloysius, shaking with nerves, nodded.

"Alright, then," Vlad said, making the first strike towards Aloysius. Aloysius barely avoided it, and attempted another cut; he was blocked by a large CLANG of Vlad's sword meeting his own. The pressure Vlad put on the sword was far greater than Aloysius's; it didn't help that Vlad probably had actual experience with swordfighting as well. Aloysius, on the other hand, was not an expert in fighting at all. He knew Shirley was a fencer and boxer from reading about her, and he wished that she wasn't collapsed by the balcony.

 

Aloysius continued to blindly swing, hitting Vlad's sword over and over again, making no moves nor progress. He kept trying, fruitlessly, knowing full well that Shirley was lying on the ground dying. He had to do something quickly. And then, the cogs of his brain began to turn.

 

The first person to fall loses....

 

Aloysius stopped, as did Vlad. Aloysius stared into space as Vlad glared at him.

"Something wrong, Doctor? I hope you're not giving up already."

Aloysius shook his head, charged towards Vlad, and swooped below, bringing the sword to Vlad's legs.

"What the #### are you doing, man?!" Vlad shouted, and then yelled in agony as he fell down. Aloysius barely kept his balance as he stood up, dropping the sword and grabbing Shirley.

 

Vlad got up, clutching his ankles; they weren't harmed, but he was infuriated. His dinner had outsmarted him and was now running away; sure, he may have gotten a light drink out of Shirley, but it simply wasn't enough. Ignoring the promise he had made Aloysius, he chased after the two of them.

 

Aloysius ran down the stairs leading into the room they thought was a ballroom, across the expansive marble floor, and underneath an enormous chandelier (the only non-candle lighting in the entire place). Aloysius was running underneath the said chandelier when he heard an earth-shattering noise; he looked up and saw the chandelier waving violently from side to side. He gasped, running as fast as he could, and just barely escaped when what was well over two tons of glasses fell and shattered behind him. The ground cracked beneath him, and he was barely able to make it over the splitting tiles into the next room-the dining room.

 

Vlad was not far behind, and was just as surprised when he was the chandelier fall. He stopped and looked at it, shook his head, and muttered "I swear I didn't do that Doctor..." And continued chasing the pair.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------

 

Aloysius ran through the dining room, a sitting room, and the foyer, until he found himself outside just as the sun began to rise. He set Shirley down, and slammed the doors shut, knowing he was safe-for now, well.

 

He ran away as fast as he could from Vlad Tepes's castle, never looking back, until he was in the city again; he hailed a cab, and sped away to a hospital where she could be treated.

 

Behind him, at the castle, Vlad Tepes knew very well he couldn't chase them now; the morning was approaching, and being a Type I vampire, he was unable to go outside. He groaned, slamming his fist at a wall and then kicking it. He would have to try and find them again later on.

 

Vlad licked his teeth, scraping away loose bits of Shirley's blood. It had been delicious-delicious Englishwoman's blood. He would have to try and find her again if it killed him-she was absolutely delicious.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next day came after an endless night at the hospital. Shirley had been given enough blood to help her live; Aloysius was a little surprised at how easily they were able treat her. New medical technology, even if it was alien, amazed him. Of course, he was told that such actions like blood donation was commonplace and easy nowadays on most planets, but he didn't care. It was still amazing.

 

He sat with her in her sitting room, where she was recovering; she was advised to not smoke for some time, so she was reading a book to try and pass the time.

"Shirley, should be tell the police what happened?" Aloysius asked her, worried about her safety and health. "And will you be safe?"

Shirley gazed up from her book lazily. "We ought to, and don't worry so much about me-I'll just hang a crucifix on my door and he certainly won't bother me."

"Shirley, what if his bite turns you into a vampire?"

"Then so be it," She said. "I can still be a detective if I'm a Type II vampire. I'll be perfectly fine. Besides, I think the effect would have kicked in already if he had intended for me to become one," She said, putting her book down and reaching for a cup of tea, drinking it.

 

Aloysius smiled at her. "I'm glad to hear that you'll be fine. I'll be sure to come back and visit sometime."

"Please do, Doctor. I'm sure I can make use of your intellect in my cases," She said. "But don't stray too much from your son nor your female friend."

Aloysius got up, took his own cup and saucer from tea into her kitchen, and came back out, getting ready to go.

"I certainly will," Aloysius finally said. "I really love Solrai very much, and Arkcher too."

"You ought to," She said, and took another drink. "I would never be able to have a husband. I've never been the romantic type. I'm not even the type to make friends. You're a rare case, Doctor."

Aloysius smiled. "You know, you can just call me Aloysius if you like, Shirley," He said, reminding her that he was already calling her 'Shirley' rather than 'Miss Locke'.

 

"By the by, why did you refer to yourself as 'The Spy'?" He asked.

"Just for fun," She said, shrugging, and then changed the subject. "You know, it's a shame my sister wasn't taken to Invision as well."

Aloysius stopped. "You have a sister, Shirley?"

She nodded. "Her name was Myra Locke once, though she got married and now she's Myra Croft. She was always much more outgoing than I was. I do miss her a lot. I ought to write her."

"Myra Croft," Aloysius said quietly. He giggled. "That's interesting. I wish I could meet her. Well, I guess I'll see you later, Shirley. I'll be sure to write you."

"And I to you," Shirley said as Aloysius took his coat and left the house.

[Mushroom_king]

Arkcher and Mushroom ran inside the restaurant, which towered above them-it was at least two stories tall, and was constructed almost entirely of stained wood. A large sign reading "Eyeferghat", written in cursive letters, hung over the double doors, two large wooden slabs with frosted glass windows.

 

Arkcher took her arm as gently as he could, and walked quickly inside. "I hope they kept out reservation," he said, knowing they probably didn't.

The two walked inside the restaurant, and looked around.

 

The restaurant really was nice; soft music played in the background to a crowd of people whispering. The ceilings were low, but just high enough it didn't seem cramped. Plants and even fishtanks were located throughout the room, surrounding finely-dressed diners with a wonderful atmosphere.

 

Arkcher walked slowly up to the podium where a man in a well-tailored suit stood, looking at him.

Arkcher straightened his posture, and trying to not stutter or otherwise sound nervous, calmly said:

"Good evening...sir, I'm a bit late but I had a reservation. I hope it's not too late? It was listed under Ahrroww."

 

The man smiled and looked through some sheets of papers, searching for the name, and then got a mildly confused look on his face.

"I apologize, sir," He said, "But it seems that party has already been taken." The man looked at the sheet again.

Arkcher gasped. "...What?"

"Are you the Six PM party?"

"Indeed I am."

"Oh, dreadfully sorry-there seems to be two Ahrrow parties," The man said. "Are you the six o'clock party?"

"Indeed. Are we late?" He asked, trying to not be nervous or embarrassed.

"You arrived just in time, sir. Right this way."

Arkcher sighed in relief, and smiled at his wife, as the two locked arms again and followed the man to a table.

"Here you go, Mr. Ahrroww," The man said as he led the two to a small table by a window.

 

Arkcher stood by the table, motioning for Mushroom to sit down; she took the seat nearest the window, which looked out onto the city. Arkcher sat down across from her, and paused as she spread the black cloth napkin across her lap; he did the same, trying to remember to act formal.

"I wonder who this other party with our name is?" Mushroom said, keeping her voice down.

Arkcher looked around, and tried to not gasp.

"What's wrong?" Mushroom asked.

"M-My...My dad..."

Mushroom looked over to where Arkcher was staring, wide-eyed. She, too, gasped.

 

Sitting a few seats away, in a booth, was Aloysius and Solrai; Aloysius dressed in a top hat and suit, Solrai wearing her regular dress.

"D-dad..." Arkcher said, his eye twitching. "I should have expected this....and yet I didn't..."

"It's alright, Arkky. Why are you so embarrassed?" She asked, flipping open the leatherbound menu and browsing through it.

"I don't know, it's just-well, you know it's just strange! I can't really explain it! It just is!"

He sighed unhappily, and grabbed the menu in front of him, glancing over it. He looked over the rim of the menu, and noticed Mushroom sitting calmly, her own menu already folded up on the table.

 

"Did you already pick something?"

She nodded, and looked away from him. "Do you think we could share something? I wanted to get a kid's meal since I'm not super-hungry. But they don't seem to have any."

Arkcher set the menu down and looked at her. "Yea, that sounds good. I felt like a steak, though."

"I'll eat it," She sighed.

"No, no!" Arkcher said, "It's your birthday! Get whatever you want and I'll eat it!"

Mushroom shrugged. "I don't know. Why not a grilled chicken? I like that..."

"Sounds awesome! We'll get that and share it!"

 

Arkcher folded his menu and pushed it away to the side of the table, and waited patiently for the waiter to come back, all the while watching his father out of the corner of his eye-much to Mushroom's dismay.

 

"I wish you wouldn't worry about him so much. It's not like he would embarrass you in front of everyone," Mushroom said helpfully.

"You haven't seen him around Solrai, then," Arkcher muttered. "My dad's usually so level-headed. Around Solrai, though, he's completely nutty. Even when she's not around, if he's just thinking about her, he's like a completely different person."

Mushroom sighed. "Well, your father's probably not used to having a new girlfriend who really cares about him. You always told me that you parents had a bad relationship."

 

Arkcher looked at the floor, allowing the hair to fall in front of his wistful eyes. "Yea, they didn't have such a good relationship..." Arkcher said quietly. "Saying that is a bit of an understatement."

Mushroom blushed. "Sorry. I shouldn't talk about your family life at dinner."

"It's alright, Mushroom. Don't be apologizing."

He glanced back over at his father, who was excitedly telling something to a sad-looking Solrai.

 

"Mushroom, do you think Solrai really likes my dad?" Arkcher said worriedly. "She always seems so sad."

Mushroom looked up at him. "You're right, she always does. Even when she smiles there's such a sad look in her eyes. Like she's about to break down crying."

"My dad told me all about when the two of them first met in the Ahshirt Desert, all the stuff she told him about her past. Sounds a little weird. A little cliche, almost."

Mushroom giggled. "Maybe. You told me all about it soon after, didn't you?"

Arkcher nodded. "I did. I'm just worried-she seems to suffer from the worst inferiority complex, doesn't she? It seems like every word I hear come out of her mouth is her claiming she's not good enough for dad, or something among those lines."

"Don't be so worried, Arkky. They'll be completely fine."

 

Arkcher glanced over at the two again, not moving his head, and then sighed.

"God, I feel horrible. I'm talking about my own personal problems on your birthday. I'm sorry, Mushroom."

"Don't talk like that. It's fine to be worried about your parent," She said, and as she finished, the waiter came by to take their order. Arkcher did so, and waited eagerly for the food to arrive. In the meantime, he attempted to strike up more positive conversation with her.

 

"I always liked your group of friends," He said, the topic almost random. "They always seemed so odd. I always did wonder how exactly you got to be friends with people like PMM and Dana. I mean, they aren't really people you'd be friends with normally, right?"

Mushroom nodded. "PMM would be more someone I'm on friendly terms with. Not the close friend he is now," She said, giggling.

"And Dana," He said, trying but failing to disguise the disgust in his voice. "She-"

"I already know how you feel about Blood Queen. You think she's a w*****," She whispered.

Arkcher folded his arms, sighed, and then nodded. "I can't stand girls like that. Those girls who flaunt the wrong things with the tightest, most revealing of clothes, and act like prostitutes. Especially her, abusing her abilities as a Succubus."

"Actually, Arkky, all Succubi are like that."

Arkcher's face twisted with disgust. "There's an entire race of girls like that! Horrible!" He said, trying not to be too loud.

She nodded. "We studied them at school."

"I see," Arkcher said softly. "It doesn't change the fact that she's an annoyance to me."

"She's fun to be around, she's usually very nice to me, but you wouldn't believe how very cruel she can be. Especially back at school-beating up boys in the hallway, hypnotizing them to be her slaves, you know, stuff like that. You already know how sadistic she is."

"Don't I," He said bluntly. He looked at her again, unfolding his arms.

 

"But as I was saying," He said, "Your friends sure seem like a motley crew, don't they?"

Mushroom's eyes brightened. "Arkky," She said, her voice ringing with delight, "You usually don't know about bands I talk about! I thought you didn't know about Motley Crue!"

Arkcher was about to say something, when the waiter came back by, with a tray of new drinks for the two of them, as well as a message reminding them their food was almost done.

 

Mushroom took a drink, and then changed the subject to music.

"You got me in a music mood, Arkky. Thanks!" She said, smiling. He still seemed confused, but went along with her conversation anyhow.

"I went to a thrift store the other day," She explained, "In that little town near the Mansion. I never knew they had an old record thrift store there. I got a lot of new vinyl records-"

"I saw them hanging up in the Conservatory," Arkcher interrupted.

"Yea, a lot of classic rock ones I've been looking for for a while. I finally completed my Pink Floyd collection-I got a copy of 'Animals' finally. I'm so happy-now I can work on cassette tapes."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't tell you? I'm planning on owning every Floyd album in every format! I already have digital, CD, and now record. I need to get them on cassettes now." She sighed. "I saved the hardest for last, unfortunately."

"That's okay-I'll try to help," Arkcher said, trying to be helpful and disguise the fact that he really didn't know much about music.

"That's nice, I'd really appreciate it if you did," Mushroom said. "Anyhow, I've found some really neat sites online where I can download samples of newer bands. It's really very cool-and don't worry, it's legal, Arkky. The bands licensed the sample packs themselves."

"Glad to know you're not pirating those, then."

Mushroom smiled, though a little sadly.

 

The two of them continued talking about assorted subjects, mostly relating to music-Arkcher had decided to let her talk the most since it was her day. Of course, she talked about music endlessly, mostly older bands Arkcher had never heard of, until their dinner came; the two shared the meal, continuing to talk, and before they knew it it was almost time to go.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

"So how was it?" Arkcher asked, as he moved the fork and knife on the table to show they were finished. "I liked it."

"It was good," She said, taking another drink of her soda. "Will you be ready to go soon?"

Arkcher looked at her, confused. "Do you not like this place?"

"Oh, no! I like it. It's just...I like this jazzy music, but not as much as the jazzy stuff they play at Planet Horatio...and I'm so used to eating with a group of friends when I do eat out. Even at home, you and me eat with your dad and all the Mordreds."

"That's true," He said wistfully, and glanced over to see Aloysius was still there. He and Solrai had finished long ago, though they were still there to have conversation. Arkcher was glancing over, when Aloysius's eyes met his own. Arkcher gasped, and turned quickly away.

 

"Something wrong?" Mushroom asked.

"Dad saw me," Arkcher muttered.

"I don't see what you're so worried about," She murmured, and sighed. "Are we leaving soon?"

"Yea, sure," Arkcher said, picking up the check for the dinner and placing his money inside of it, and waited for the waiter to come over and take the money so they could go and have cake and presents at Planet Horatio. In the meantime, he would just have to talk some more, he guessed.

 

Arkcher looked over at his dad again, and realized both Aloysius and Solrai both were staring at him. Arkcher waved, and at first didn't notice the waiter taking the money.

Suddenly, Aloysius got up, took his hat off, and walked over to Arkcher, getting a handful of glances from diners.

"Didn't know you were here," Was all he said when he came over. Up close, Arkcher realized just how dressed up his dad was-his outfit was brand-new, ironed, no stains or hair or anything-a complete suit, complete with tails on the jacket and a bow tie. He looked like a less threatening version of Jakob Rabbitt.

 

"Yea, I noticed you a little while ago," Arkcher said, looking up at his father. Aloysius smiled and held his hat behind his back.

"I came into town for her birthday," He said bluntly, "And I decided to take Solrai out to eat here since it was new."

"Guess you read my mind, that's pretty much why I brought Mushroom here," Arkcher moaned.

Aloysius giggled. "Well, I noticed you're about to leave soon. I won't bother you much tonight. Besides, I have Solrai to attend to. She's gotten so upset because I've spent so much time helping Shirley out with her cases lately. You ought to hear her," Aloysius said, remembering how Solrai had acted one night a few months back.

 

Shirley walked away from the booth where Solrai and Aloysius sat at Planet Horatio, the place where the two always met when they were in town. Shirley waved goodbye to Aloysius, reminding him she was too busy to spend time with him and that she looked forward to their next case together. She walked out of the door, Aloysius looking back at her, and then turned to Solrai to talk with her. She looked at the table and seemed as though she would begin crying.

 

"Solrai, tell me what's wrong," Aloysius asked, gently grabbing her hand. She looked up at him, her eyes filling with water. Aloysius grabbed his handkerchief and wiped them away for her as they tried to escape.

"Aloysius, I don't see why you would stay with me when you have someone like her around," She said, her voice full of even more sadness than her eyes were.

Aloysius gasped. "Solrai-"

"You and her have more in common than you and I. She deserves you more than me."

 

Aloysius was stunned silent for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Solrai, don't ever say things like that! Shirley is my good friend-I help her out with her cases! Why would I have feelings for her?"

"You're both intelligent, well-read, adventurous, all things I'm not, Aloysius. I don't see why you take me over her."

"Solrai," Aloysius said softly, looking deeply into her eyes, "You don't understand. I may have a lot in common with Shirley, but she's not the romantic type. She's already told me she never plans to get married-she's certainly not the romantic type, Solrai. You have to understand that. Besides-" he cleared his throat and pulled at his buttoned-up collar. "I'm in love with YOU, Solrai, not Shirley."

Solrai's eyes glittered with sadness. "Aloysius-"

"And it breaks my heart to hear you talk like this."

 

Aloysius had told the story to Arkcher very briefly, with Arkcher pretending to listen, catching every couple of words. At the end of the short story, he nodded and said nothing.

"Sounds like Solrai has real issues with your relationship. But I guess all relationships have issues. Especially ones in out family," Said Arkcher, trying to laugh at the joke, even though he knew such a joke was rather mean. "Anyhow, me and Mushroom were about to leave. We just gotta wait for our waiter to come back and see us off."

"Sounds like fun," Aloysius said. "Alas, I have to tend to Solrai-" He turned and looked at her again. "I really do love spending time with her."

 

Aloysius patted Arkcher's shoulder, and walked back over to his own booth. As he did, the waiter came back by the table, and the couple decided it was time to leave Eyeferghat.

 

-------------------------------------------------------

 

The two walked down several blocks to the lit-up Planet Horatio, where their friends had been waiting for them (they presumed). Arkcher, remembering all the various unwanted advice he got from Cheesemaster as well as his father, held the door for MK.

 

The two walked into an incredibly lively atmosphere, with a rather large number of friends there to celebrate the party. Horatio had come by from the Best Friends of Horatio Club to bring his cake-he was the best cake-baker in all of Invision, and no party was complete without some cake of his. The place wasn't decorated like it was for Hamsterking's party, but Mushroom didn't mind one bit.

 

Arkcher held MK as the two walked into the center of the room, both feeling overdressed after the nice dinner, looking around for their friends. Mushroom pointed out a table near the middle of the room, near the stage; the two walked over to find Cheesemaster, Dawn, Blood Queen, Vanilla, Edna, Cheese Woman, and Kat, but also among them there was Hoops and her friends. Hoops sat in a chair, not engaged in the conversation; she was quietly reading a manga she had brought along with her. Mullaypop and Napoleon sat on either side of her, while Moosey (not needing a seat) stood across with Funky on his back. Arkcher got out a chair for his wife, allowing her to sit down across from Cheesemaster and next to Vanilla, while Arkcher sat down after, seated between her and Hoops.

 

"How long has everyone been here?" Arkcher asked after greetings were exchanged. He looked over at Hoops, who was still reading.

"A little while," Cheesemaster said. "We all already had dinner some time ago, so we're ready to do anything she wants," referring to Mushroom as he looked at her; she was too busy talking with Dawn and Vanilla to really pay attention. She then got up, moved over by Hoops, and tried to talk to her. The two of them were also quite close.

 

"Hoops?" Mushroom said quietly, kneeling down in front of the table, in between Hoops and Mullaypop. Mullay still had a glass of bright pink soda and her large, rainbow swirled lollipop of which she was never seen without. Napoleon looked very nervous as she always did. Hoops blinked, and looked around for a moment. She blinked again, and her eyes suddenly shot open. "Oh, hi! Sorry. I was really engaged in this cool manga I brought with me when I traveled over here."

Mushroom smiled, and the two girls on either side sighed.

"What is it?" Mushroom asked, trying to strike up a conversation. Hoops flipped through her pockets and pulled out a bookmark decorated with anime characters, and pushed it inside the book.

"Rosario to Vampire," Hoops explained. "And it's about a human at a school full of monsters. The more I read it, the more the characters remind me of Cheesemaster, Dawn, Dana, and Vanilla. Y'see, because this is a harem manga, the boy human is surrounded by hotties. One's a vampire. She's like Dawn kind of. There's also a succubus-she's a lot of s*** and reminds me of Dana. There's a little witch girl who causes trouble, she's like Vanilla. There's also a girl with ice powers, but she doesn't remind me of anyone. Well, maybe Mastermind."

MK turned towards Hoops's friends. "I didn't know Hoops was into this sort of stuff," She said.

 

Mullaypop's already wide eyes grew even wider. "Really? She's huge on it-I mean, we are too, but not as much as Hoops."

"I absolutely love manga about teenagers going to school," Hoops exclaimed. "And comedy. That's the best."

Napoleon spoke up quietly. "I'm a little more casual, but I like just about anything. As long as it isn't too scary."

Moosey spoke up. Though Moosey was undeniably one of the strangest Invisionists-after all, it really wasn't often you met a moose who liked riding unicycles-his answer was surprising.

"I like romance-y stuff," He said, his voice just the perfect pitch. Hoops folded her arms and scowled. Funky climbed onto Moosey's antlers. "I like anything exciting. Horror, adventures, those are great."

"And finally, what about Mullay?" MK asked, looking at the brown-haired lolita.

 

Mullay closed her eyes and sighed as though embarrassed. "I love shounen action comics," She said bluntly. "The more action, the better."

"That's a surprising answer," MK said, eyes wide. "I wouldn't expect sweet Mullaypop to be into action stuff."

Hoops grinned. "Yea, I was shocked at first too! But I don't care," She said, and raised a fist into the air. "This July, we go to Invision's first Convention right here in Hamsterdam! It will kick a**!! Won't it, friends?!"

 

Moosey, Mullay, Napoleon, and Funky all answered 'Yes', Napoleon sounding disgruntled.

 

MK smiled. "Sounds good," She said quietly, and Hoops grabbed her shoulders.

"You're going too, right Mushroom?!" She shouted as she shook her violently.

Mushroom sighed when Hoops let her go, and said "Yea, I'll have to ask Arkcher though. He's not big on anime stuff."

"But he IS big on game stuff! That'll be there, too!!! I mean, I love video games WAY more than anime!!"

"Oh, good! He'll probably want to go if there will be video game-related stuff there. I'll try and find the website. What's it called?"

"Invisioncon," Hoops said matter-of-factly. "A fitting name for Invision's only and first convention! For everything-anime, games, scifi, fantasy, and just about anything else! This July!" Shouted Hoops, as though in an advertisement.

 

"Thanks so much Hoops," MK said. "I'll go back over there, now. I'll talk to you some more later tonight though."

"Awesome! and Happy Birthday!!"

"Thank you," MK said quietly, and walked back to her seat. Arkcher was talking with Cheesemaster about something; Dawn was in conversation with Blood Queen, and Kat was drinking. She decided to eavesdrop on her husband, which was not so hard seeing as he was right next to her.

 

"Alright. Well, Since I just got done making Mushroom's birthday present as well as Clean Machine, I mean you know how long it took me to build him. I'm thinking I might take a break, though I can't imagine what I'll do. Study to see what sort of thing I might want to make next?"

"I thought we agreed you wanted to work on Nanotechnology again?" Cheesemaster suggested. "You know, I had a great time helping Leguan build his airship. Maybe you should visit him and see what he's up to-he might want our help for whatever he's making next."

Arkcher thought for a moment. "Huh. Not sure. Those ships he builds are just...well, the technology. It seems a little old, doesn't it?"

Cheesemaster shook his head. "Not really. I mean, those machines LOOK very old, but the technology is impressive and very modern. I think you'd enjoy taking one apart, personally."

 

Arkcher shrugged, not really noticing that Mushroom was there. She watched them a little more as they moved onto technology news, Cheesemaster taking out a British science journal and an issue of Popular Mechanics as he and Arkcher looked through them. Mushroom moved her chair to look over at Dawn, Vanilla, and Blood Queen, and tried to listen to what they might be talking about.

 

"...Honesty, Dana-" Dawn had started.

"BLOOD QUEEN, D*****!!" Shouted Blood Queen.

"Dana," Dawn retorted. "When you say Blood Queen, it makes me think of blood, and I get thirsty for some." Dawn had shut her eyes, and when she opened them, noticed MK was watching. Dawn's eyes grew wide-MK was right there, and she thought of blood....her mind floated back to when she had drank MK's blood so many months ago.

"Mushroom," Dawn said quietly, gazing at her friend. MK smiled.

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing!" Dawn said nervously, though she was lying.

MK turned back around, and gently tapped Arkcher on the shoulder.

"Arkky, I think I'm ready to open my presents now."

Arkcher and Cheesemaster both stopped talking and looked at her. Arkcher smiled, and said quietly "Alright, then."

 

He got up, walked over to the table with presents scattered on it, and announced to the rest of the party to be quiet.

"Mushroom, what do you want first? Cake or presents?"

"Presents first is how I do it," She said quietly. Arkcher nodded, grabbed a package, and threw it towards her; she barely caught it.

"From Hoops," She read. Hoops cheered for her gift being opened first.

MK peeled away the paper, revealing a set of anime and video game soundtracks Hoops had ordered online.

"Oh, thanks," Mushroom said, looking through. While not an avid gamer (well, she absolutely loved rhythm games), nor an avid anime watcher, Mushroom did watch them casually, and payed more attention to the soundtracks then most people did. The gift was appreciated.

 

Next came presents from the rest of Hoops's friends; first came a big, green hair ribbon decorated with candy patterns from Mullaypop. Mushroom put it in her hair, though it wasn't her style in the least (save for the green colour). Third came a set of French CDs from Napoleon. Fourth was another small set of Heavy Metal CDs from Moosey, and lastly, a group of mixed CDs from Funky. Mullaypop looked rather embarrassed.

 

"Thank you everyone," She said excitedly as she unwrapped the plastic covering the CDs, examining the track names, and reading the booklets to see if anything interesting was inside them. "I really love all these presents. I'll put these on my MP3 player right away when I get home. Thanks so much."

"You're welcome," The five said in unison, Mullaypop sounding flustered. "Glad you like 'em," Hoops said. "I had to import those from Japan to my old Florida street address, and then teleport them from Earth to Invision. Very difficult, but oh-so-worth it, man! That music is amazing!"

"Thank you, Hoops," Said Mushroom.

 

Mushroom grabbed another present; this one was from Vanilla. She squealed as her best friend opened it, and found inside it a motley crew of objects.

"As you know, I don't really have a whole lot of money left over to buy presents after I do my shopping for spell items, but I made do with what I've got," The high-pitched giant hamster said.

 

Inside the box was (yet another) 'Best Friends' Necklace, which Mushroom clasped around her throat. Underneath it was a new green jacket, less holey than the one she wore now, and scattered in the box were several rocks and crystals, all of which Mushroom assumed must have some magical property unknown to her. Instructions on how to use the rocks were later found when she had emptied the box at home, but Vanilla's spelling skills left much to be desired. Mushroom closed he box and thanked her best friend.

 

Next came Dawn's gift, which was a package of Heavy Metal t-shirts and a few CDs, plus several music cards to buy songs online with; Blood Queen and Dead Deep, being less caring than most friends, had bought a gift in Hamsterdam since they'd both forgotten until the last minute. Dead Deep didn't know Mushroom all that well, so only Blood Queen got Mushroom yet another set of CDs, this time rap and metal ones.

 

This process of opening presents and receiving CDs went on for most of the party, and by the end Mushroom had quite a formidable stack of discs and cases and cards she would use when she got home. She thanked everyone hand hugged them, and told them that when she uploaded the songs to her MP3 player, she would mark the genre as the name of whoever gave her the CD.

 

The night passed rather uneventfully, with cake being eaten and Mushroom discussing various matters with her friends. Cheesemaster and Arkcher continued their talk of technology, with Arkcher talking of some mods he considered for his computers.

 

"I saw some pictures on the Internet that I thought looked really awesome, so I'm going to copy them. Here, I printed them out so you can see."

Arkcher took out a few folded-up pictures. The first showed what looked like a Microwave cooking meat loaf; but when examined closer, it was a microwave turned into a computer, and the meat loaf was simply a wallpaper.

"I love this one," Cheesemaster said, smiling. Mushroom looked over his shoulder but said nothing. Noticing, Cheesemaster showed her the picture so she could get a better look, and then looked at the second picture, where the CD drive had been replaced with a toaster. Arkcher put away the rest, thinking he would save them for later, and began to discuss with Cheesemaster about the ones he had pulled out.

[Mushroom_king]

Mushroom, for the rest of her party, simply eavesdropped on whatever her friends were talking about, sometimes making comments about whatever it was they discussed. And so the night, to her and her friend's surprise, was normal enough.

The party eventually ended, much to her guests' sadness and to Mushroom's delight, as she had gotten bored. The presents were carried by Mushroom, Arkcher, and PMM, to be delivered back to their mansion. It would be time to go home soon enough.

 

The group were walking through the busy streets of Hamsterdam, with Mushroom, Vanilla, Dawn, Blood Queen, and PMM crowding together and wondering why nothing unusual had happened yet, and to stay on the lookout for anything out of place.

"I guess it's time for me to head home," Cheesemaster said a little sadly, looking at Mushroom. Arkcher walked over and locked arms with her, giving his friend a stern look. Cheesemaster picked up Edna, and walked over to his two friends, giving them both hugs.

 

"I guess I'll come on the boat with you," Dawn said softly, glancing over at PMM, Mushroom, Blood Queen and Vanilla. Blood Queen nodded, and offered to join the ride as well. Mushroom, Vanilla, and PMM knew exactly what they were up to, and nodded towards them.

"Mushroom?" Arkcher asked, and she looked towards him. "What is it, Arkky?"

Arkcher looked at her a moment. "Do you think you wanna go with your friends? We could visit the Port of Cheese tonight, I guess."

Mushroom's eyes widened, and she looked down at her best friend. Arkcher laughed. "Vanilla can come too." The two girls yelled with excitement and Vanilla leaped up to high-five her friend. Cheesemaster looked at Arkcher, and as the girls (and PMM) went ahead in eagerness, he stayed behind to talk with him.

 

"Why would you just up and want to come to the Port of Cheese for the night? You've never really just traveled there unannounced."

Arkcher shrugged, knowing , from what he saw at Mama Luigi's, that the Mushroom and her friends needed to stay together-at least until the weird stuff subsided. Cheesemaster recalled what he had seen Dawn do on the beach, the way she had transformed and fought. The more he thought about it, the more dreamlike it seemed, until it seemed as though it hadn't really happened.

"The way I watched her-Mushroom-in the restaurant earlier today. The way you watched Dawn on the beach. I know what's going on, and I need to find out why."

Cheesemaster nodded, and the two ran ahead to the other five, and boarded the boat headed for the Port of Cheese.

 

 

The group had settled into their cabins on the large passenger boat, a plain-looking vessel with plenty of rooms. Mushroom & Arkcher got a one-bed room for themselves, while the rest shared two-bed rooms together. Dawn, Vanilla, & Blood Queen insisted to sleep in one room together, across the hall from Mushroom and PMM. Cheesemaster shared a bedroom with Edna. All of them were tired, and decided it was a good time to go to sleep; PMM, the only one who could really stay up, promised the four girls he would watch for strange things.

 

Arkcher had just gotten out of a very long shower where he thoroughly washed his hair of every single gel or spray he had put in it that morning, as well as every single tiny spec k of dust or dirt that may have gotten into his beautiful hair, and then spent even longer cleaning his hair of the shampoo. When he came out, he was dressed in his wrinkled pants and shirt (with the top two buttons now undone), with clean ones set out for the next day. His jacket and tied rested neatly folded on the table of their room; Mushroom sat on the bed, dressed in sleep pants and an oversized, super-soft rock-band tshirt as she listened to her MP3 Player. When he got out, she looked up at him, and took a single earphone out in order to hear him.

 

"It's about time you got out," She laughed; he walked over to the bed, lifted up some covers, and laid down next to her. Mushroom paused her song, wrapped the headphones around her player, and set it beside the bed for later. The two then put out the lights next to their beds, and pulled themselves close to one another. Arkcher reminded Mushroom that he loved her, and drifted to sleep.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------

 

Mushroom tried to sleep along with her husband, but had difficulty doing so; thinking about how no strange things had happened was making her paranoid, and this in turn made her severely worried.

 

What are they planning? She wondered, staring off into the darkness of the room. Is this just to catch us off-guard? Or what? She had no idea, but the thoughts were eating away at her. She needed sleep. She closed her eyes and huddled closer to Arkcher, trying to sleep; she was afraid of having a nightmare, but tried to sleep anyway. This repeated for a few hours, the entire boat silent save for the occasional person walking down the hallway to use the bathroom or something, and Mushroom couldn't sleep at all.

 

Soon enough, though, an enormous crash and scream was heard. Mushroom shot out of bed, and Arkcher groaned and sleepily opened his eyes.

"What the #### was that?" Arkcher asked, too disoriented to keep himself from swearing. Mushroom dashed out of bed, followed by PMM. Arkcher got up and looked at her, and for the first time his life not caring about how he looked, ran out of the room with wrinkled, dirty clothes and mussed hair. "Mushroom! Mushroom, where are you going? What was that?"

 

Arkcher ran out in the hallway where many people had already gotten out ton investigate. Dawn, Blood Queen, and Vanilla were nowhere to be found, and Cheesemaster was holding Edna. People whispered amongst themselves, until another crash was heard and the boat swerved hard, sending people flying against the walls.

Arkcher ran over to Cheesemaster as best as he could, breathing hard from shock. "Cheeseman," He asked, looking at him straight-on, "What in God's name was that?"

Cheesemaster's face grew more and more worried. "I don't know, but I'm going up to investigate. Could you please look after Edna?"

"But Cheese-" Arkcher hesitated as Cheesemaster gently handed the boy to him, but Cheesemaster had dashed off.

Arkcher looked, and as quickly as he could, set Edna back into his bed and followed his best friend.

 

Arkcher and Cheesemaster ended up on deck, where a horrible sight was found.

An enormous

cosmic horror

Sea monster had risen from the ocean and was terrorizing the boat, rocking it violently and capturing passengers-often eating one or two when it could. The crew found controlling everyone to be an impossible task.

"Mushroom," Arkcher said suddenly, "Where is Mushroom? Oh My God, where is Mushroom?!" He said, clutching his head. "Don't tell me she was eaten. Oh No God don't tell me she was-"

"Darn it man, pull yourself together!" Cheesemaster shouted sternly. He looked towards the monster, and kept a hand near his katana. "She'll be either already up here, or preparing to fight that thing."

 

This was exactly what she was doing.

Mushroom, Vanilla, Dawn, PMM, and Blood Queen looked at the enormous monster with the most fright and the most shock they had seen anything before.

"Is that-?" Vanilla stammered.

"It can't be. We defeated it." Blood Queen said in disbelief.

"But there it is," Mushroom said, clutching her heart-shaped lapel pin. "I don't know where the #### it came from, but it's here on Invision now. And as citizens of Invision-" She cleared her throat-"As Invisionists, we're gonna defend our planet with all our powers."

The other four nodded, and Vanilla clutched her pin. "HEART OF THE ORANGE STICKS-"

"SHUT UP!" Shouted Dawn and Mushroom. Both girls pointed to Arkcher and Cheesemaster.

"Arkcher is over there!" Mushroom said.

"Cheesemaster, too," Dawn said sadly.

"If we're careful, and quiet, they won't see us," PMM said. Mushroom and Dawn hesitated as the other three clutched their pins, and then sighed. "Alright, then. Heart of the Pink Sea-"

 

Each one said their phrase, and quietly said 'TRANSFORMING POWER' together. Despite having tried to be quiet, Arkcher & Cheesemaster had still heard-and when they looked, they watched the five quickly transform, and then rush off to fight the monster.

The two boys stood there in bewilderment after seeing their friends transform, not knowing what to think; they decided to stand behind something, anything, and watch the fight in order to see if any details as to why this was happening could be revealed.

The five ran over, and stood on the deck, beside the rail where the monster had gotten much closer.

 

Dawn hesitated again. "I don't think I want to risk another ocean-based battle," She said. "Using an Alliance form and summoning monsters really drains my power. "

"You won't need to," Blood Queen said, her voice changing. Her voice, usually full of hate, sexuality, or just plain insanity, had turned into undiluted fear. Her fear was just; the monster, a mold-green abomination with multiple tentacles and feet, flung a tentacle towards the railing; the five barely escaped, with PMM going into Mushroom's psyche temporarily and Blood Queen flying down to save Vanilla and Dawn. Bits of railing flew around the boat, and the monster climbed onto the deck, causing it to dangerously tip over. Arkcher and Cheesemaster barely clung to the chimney they had been hiding behind. The monster continued to move, until it situated itself in the middle of the boat's deck, where it was least likely to tip off the side. The five settled back onto the ground, held their weapons aloft, and prepared to battle whatever it was. Cheesemaster and Arkcher quietly tried to get a better look, despite such action compromising their safety.

 

Blood Queen made the first strike, flying towards the creature with her spear; she penetrated the flesh, and blood flowed out of the small cut she had made, but the creature seemed unaffected by it. She stayed in flight, and yelled at the group to keep attacking to wound it effectively. She then concentrated on working her blood magic on the monster.

 

As she did, Mushroom and PMM worked together with Sound & Technology magic, as they tended to do in battle; Dawn, not knowing the monster's elemental weakness, attacked it with her Dark Magic and Vanilla with her general witchcraft. The monster seemed almost disinterested in the fight, not showing any signs of the attacks affecting it; yet the five went on attacking it, as the blood of the monster splashed all over the deck, eventually mingling with the blood of a Brownie, Hamster, Vampire, Human, and Succubus. And when Mushroom's blood did let from wounds given to her by the monster, Cheesemaster found he was not strong enough to restrain Arkcher.

Mushroom had been cut, scraped, and bruised like she would in any fight-Arkcher would cringe when she was hurt, but knew she would be alright.

 

An hour had passed with the five fighting and the crew trying to figure out how to keep passengers safe and defeat the thing, when a tentacle came and slapped Mushroom's body, sending her flying across the deck.

 

At this point, nothing could have kept Arkcher restrained-he yelled her name and came running, catching her blood-soaked body and falling to the ground, the blood from herself and the monster mixing with water and a disgusting film on the tentacles that covered Mushroom soaking Arkcher as well.

Mushroom opened her eyes and gasped when she saw Arkcher. She stood up, limped, and regained her balance, and gasped loudly as the other four continued to fight.

"Arkcher!!" She screamed, and looked at him in disbelief. "What-What the ####-"

"Mushroom," He said, looking up at her.

She looked at him for a moment, and shook her head. "I-I'm not-"

"Mushroom, it's obvious it's you and your friends. I saw you back at the restaurant at Lunch-I saw you fighting that monster that attacked us."

Mushroom looked at him in disbelief.

"I know what you're thinking-you're thinking I'll think you're freaky, right?"

Mushroom looked at him again, and her expression changed into one of confusion. "Not really," She said; "I was more worried that you'd be paranoid about me getting hurt."

Arkcher turned pink and smiled at her. "That, and I want to know what the #### is going on."

Mushroom nodded. "I will soon, I promise." She heaved, and Arkcher ran over to see if she was OK.

 

"I'm alright," She said, "But we're not doing very well. That thing doesn't seem to be hurt by any of our attacks. "

Arkcher looked at it, and Mushroom shook her head. Without another word, she ran back to fight again, limping the way there. Arkcher shouted for her to wait, but she refused to listen; she was too intent on defeating whatever this was.

"Mushroom," Arkcher muttered, and she looked back at him. "Get out of the way, Arkky!!"" She shouted, and just barely shouted "SOUND BARRIER!" to keep a tentacle from sending her flying again.

But Arkcher stood there, completely stunned, as the five cut, sliced, and used their magic on the monster, with no effect other than cutting it. Arkcher was terrified of this-what if they couldn't defeat it?

This thought was rampaging in the heads of the fighters as well, and they were getting tired.

 

"Dawn," Mushroom said as she limped back over, "Please, you're going to have to summon a monster to defeat this. I don't know why, but-" She coughed, thankful she wasn't coughing up blood-"We can't seem to hurt it beyond scratching it."

"Says you!" Shouted Blood Queen, who ran quickly towards it, and plunged her spear into its fleshy body. Blood poured out like a waterfall as she dug the spear's blade deeper into the monster. The creature looked at her, and swung a tentacle down; at the right time, she swung again, slicing off a portion of the tentacle. The monster roared in pain, an ear-shattering noise that stopped every person on the boat in their tracks. Cheesemaster, still hiding, wondered why help hadn't arrived.

"That's it," Mushroom said weakly, and fell on her knees, groaning. Vanilla ran towards her best friend and cast a healing spell to try and help her. "That's how we'll kill it."

"Then we don't need my monsters," Dawn said, smiling.

"No," Mushroom said, trying to stand up. "We're injured far too much. We still need it."

Dawn hesitated. "Mushroom, if I'm this tired already, then imagine what I'll be like after using what little strength I have left summoning a monster. You don't realize how tiring it is."

 

Mushroom was quiet for a moment, before Dawn went, waited for a tentacle to try and attack her, and weakly sliced it off with her glaive. She continued to do this until she fell from exhaustion, where she could easily be struck by a tentacle.

"DAWN!!" Shouted Mushroom, unable to run to her friend's aid. Dawn struggled to raise herself, and looked at the impending blow. She moaned in pain, but reached for her Alliance Pens anyhow, grabbing her Freebird Alliance pen this time, and raised it skyward, shouting the phrase.

 

A golden-colored burst of Light extended out, surrounding Dawn's body, stopping the tentacle dead in its tracks. The monster roared in anger, and tried to strike the transforming Dawn again, only to recoil and scream again.

The bubble of Light faded away, and up emerged Freebird Alliance Dawn-A Dawn with beautiful, golden hair, a gold-colored Dress, hat, & boots, and huge Eagle's wings. A Dawn who looked so much older than the 14-year-old Dawn they knew.

Mushroom, Vanilla, Blood Queen, and PMM stopped, and looked at Dawn. Mushroom cleared her throat and shouted, "Dawn! Take it from here-we need to treat our own wounds." She stopped, and added "Be careful!" before the remaining three ran over to her.

 

Dawn said nothing as the monster, pouring so much blood from inflicted wounds it was almost impossible to see its skin, roared and flung a barrage of tentacles towards her. Dawn raised a hand, muttered "Sun Drop.". A roar of flame was heard, as a large ball of light appeared before her; she promptly threw the thing at the monster, where it screamed in a horrible, bloodcurdling way. Dawn looked up at the monster, and it looked at her.

 

"Elld'Reik," She shouted, "You are not fit to be controlled by I, ruler of all the monsters. You're an unholy abomination. I shall destroy you." Dawn flew up, so she could see Elld'Reik straight in the eye. Dawn raised her weapon, as beams of light shot out from it, and shouted for the Drewno Chimera.

As soon as she did, from the sky there came a large, cat-looking creature, a creature with green-tinted fur, big green-and-black antlers, eight green eyes, and large bat wings. The Drewno Chimera stood next to Dawn, sitting obediently, and then she shouted again: "Aina Chimera! I summon you!'

From the sky there came another monster, a chimera made from even more animals: A large, bird-like body, with enormous eagle wings and feet, a lengthy snake's tail, and the head of a Tasmanian Tiger with two ribbon-like appendages flowing from its head. The Aina Chimera stood on the other side of Dawn, and she shut her eyes.

"Drewno, Aina," She said quietly, "Kill it." The Chimeras both stood up, and ran towards Elld'Reik, flying up and around it, Drewno butting it with its antlers, slashing with claws or hitting with tails-anything they could do. Elld'Reik was visibly unaffected by the two creatures barraging him, and Dawn realized it. She raised her weapon once again, and simply shouted "Chimera Horde! I summon you and your help!!"

From the sky came swarms of Chimeras, each one very different from the last; they barraged Elld'Reik; many were simply cast off of the monster and killed or thrown into the ocean. Dawn became severely worried.

"This isn't enough," She muttered weakly. "No matter how many I summon, they're too weak."

 

She raised her staff to the sky, and shouted for the monsters to return to wherever they had come from; they obeyed, weakly flying away. Dawn raised her staff to the sky, and shouted "Golden Chimera! Come and aid me!!"

Dawn gasped as if struck, and enormous beams of light fell from the sky, surrounding Dawn; swooping down came the majestic Golden Chimera, which sat by Dawn's side.

"Dawn? Why have you summoned me?"

Dawn looked at Elld'Reik. "I need that thing dead and obliterated from this planet."

The Golden Chimera looked on, and took a single step forward.

"Is something wrong?" Dawn asked it, as she looked at it.

"I've never seen power this strong," The Chimera said. "What is that?"

"Elld'Reik, a cosmic abomination; not a demon, not from ####, but from the stars."

"You'd need the powers of both Alliances for this," It said. "Will you be ready to handle summoning this much strength?"

Dawn nodded without hesitation nor thought, and took out the Dead Alliance pen, raising it and saying the phrase for Transformation.

 

"Wait-" The Chimera said, but it was too late; the powers of both Alliances, both forms of Dawn, trying to be in the same body clashed. Golden Light and Pitch Darkness surrounded Dawn, and she barely managed to summon the Bloody Ripper in the chaos.

The Ripper, like other monsters of the Dead Alliance, came not from the sky but rose from the Earth; a large patch of ocean turned blood-red, until the enormous, blood-soaked demon rose up and climbed aboard the boat to fight Elld'Reik.

The Golden Chimera ran and stood next to the Ripper, looking back at Dawn.

"What should we do?" It asked. "She'll be destroyed by the clashing forces if we don't defeat this quickly."

 

The Ripper said nothing, but rather charged towards Elld'Reik and made an enormous gash over the length of the entire creature; blood spewed out of it, and the Chimera ran speedily towards it, and using Wood Magic, caused vines and leaves to grow inside of it.

This continued, as the two monsters planned to defeat Elld'Reik from the inside; as they did as quickly as possible, Dawn struggled with her two forms.

"I own this body," Dead Alliance Dawn said to the Freedbird Alliance Dawn. I'm far more powerful than you.

Freebird Dawn spoke up. I was using the body first.

What an immature argument. Being first means nothing if you're weak.

Dawn Rabbitt, the real Dawn, was unable to handle it.

"T-There's-"

The two warring Dawns stopped.

"T-There's-there's two people-there's two people inside me. Dead Alliance Dawn, Freebird Alliance Dawn-aren't me-"

Dawn screamed, and her friends who had been watching and trying to rest and heal, suddenly became very worried.

 

"Come on," Mushroom said, getting up. "We have to help her."

"Mushroom-" Vanilla question, but Mushroom shook her head. "She's our friend. We have to help her. Those two monsters look like they can take care of Elld'Reik-but Dawn-"

The other three stood up, nodded, and ran over to the giant ball of energy that surrounded Dawn.

"Dawn!! Dawn!!" Mushroom shouted; she yelped when the energy ball became even larger, and began to tear away at the boat deck. The Ripper and Chimera, on the brink of killing Elld'Reik, looked in awe.

"Hurry," the Chimera said worriedly, as the Ripper raised one of its blood-soaked knife-arms and sliced Elld'Reik in half; The Chimera breathed fire, burning both half of the body. This, as might be expected, was not an entirely good move; the flames began to spread to the rest of the boat, lighting it on fire as well. The screams of passengers and crew could be heard below.

"Dawn!!!" Mushroom screamed, and the ball of energy began to get even bigger and destroy even more things. The Chimera and Ripper knew they would need to do something to stop the Dawns from fighting.

The Golden Chimera and Bloody Ripper stood by the ball of energy, and shouted in unison for them to stop. Slowly, the energy ball faded, and a charred Dawn Rabbitt stood, weak.

 

"Dawn!!" Each of her friends shouted together, running over to her.

"What's happening to her?" Mushroom asked. "Will she die? Please don't tell me she'll-"

"She'll most likely be fine," The Chimera said. "The combined powers of both Alliances can't survive in one body. She isn't strong enough." The Chimera, followed by the Ripper, walked over to her. "Give her to me. We'll take care of her."

"Wait!!" Mushroom shouted, but then stopped. "Alright, then. Please-" She swallowed-"Please take care of her."

 

The Chimera nodded, and Dawn was loaded onto its back, where it flew off, followed by the Ripper settling back into the sea to follow the Chimera wherever it was going.

The Ship was a complete wreck after the battle; the burning corpse of Elld'Reik still stood, as the flames spread throughout the boat. A giant hole had been created where the Dawns had fought each other. The crew desperately tried to both put out the fire and dispose of Elld'Reik at the same time.

Arkcher got up and walked over to the remaining four, whose transformation outfits and weapons had disappeared."Mushroom," He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I demand to know why all this has happened."

She looked at him, her eyes shaking with tears that she held back. "We need to get off this boat," She said quietly, and pointed to crew members urging the scared passengers onto lifeboats.

 

Arkcher nodded, and Cheesemaster ran below to find Edna before leaving.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next day, the group had been safely transported safely to the Port of Cheese, where the story was enormous news. Cheesemaster stood on his corner, shouting the headline and barely able to keep up with the demand for the exciting story. Arkcher, Mushroom, and Mushroom's three remaining friends sat in Cheesemaster's house, very quiet. They didn't know where Dawn might be, and for now, Arkcher demanded an explanation from Mushroom.

[Mushroom_king]

[Really long one here.]

 

 

 

Mushroom sat with Blood Queen, PMM, Vanilla, & Arkcher in the kitchen of Cheesemaster's house. Outside, the noise of him selling papers and crowds of people buying them could be heard, but Mushroom decided to tell the story anyway.

"Before I start, I don't want any interruptions," She explained, and when everyone agreed to not interrupt, she began.

 

"It was our second year of school when it happened; weird stuff began happening around SummmerMeadow, just like how weird stuff started happening around Hamsterdam. Everything began to change at school; drills were held just in case a monster attacked the school, and we learned more and more in the ways of serious combat just in case. It was like living in wartime."

"Anyway, I was on my way home from school one day, when a monster appeared and tried to attack me."

 

"You ready, Vanilla?" Mushroom asked her best friend after school one fateful day. The two almost always walked home together since their homes were just a few streets away from each other. The two walked down the busy street that the school was on, saying little, and eventually turned into a less populated, grassier street , when a rustling noise was heard.

 

"Did you hear that?" Vanilla asked, and the girls stopped. Mushroom looked around, and shook her head. Vanilla motioned for her friend to stay quiet, and the two, standing back-to-back as best as they could, watched for noises.

 

The two were about to leave, when the leaves rustled again, and a relatively large but not gigantic tentacle monster rose out-the first the girls had ever seen. The two looked up at the enormous thing, and without second thought, screamed.

The monster roared as they did, and Mushroom, grabbing Vanilla, tried desperately to run away; before they could, a voice was heard.

 

"Mushroom! Vanilla! Don't run away!"

 

The two girls ignored the voice, assuming the insanity of the moment was making them hear voices. Mushroom got up, grabbed her friend again, and tried to run away again; however, Mushroom was knocked down, heard the voice again, and clutched her head. Mushroom shouted for Vanilla to run away as fast as she could, but the hamster refused to leave her friend behind.

 

"Mushroom!" Shouted the voice again. "Listen to me! I'm inside your brain!"

Mushroom gasped and, as if it would help any, clawed at her head.

"Stop! I'll help you and your friend get out of this situation!"

"Get out of my head!!" Mushroom screamed, and as soon as she said it, a moist feeling entered her ear. Her ear suddenly became very painful and felt as if it was being stretched, when the pain stopped and a pop was heard. Mushroom looked, and below her was a large mushroom. She gasped, and for a moment forgot there was a monster rampaging nearby.

 

"Mushroom, why is there a mushroom in your head?"

Mushroom got up, and grabbed the mushroom off the ground. "How confusing," She muttered, and the mushroom looked up. Beneath its cap was a face and two chubby arms.

"My name is Myco, and I'm here to tell you how to defeat that thing."

"Defeat it?!" Mushroom said, shocked. "How?"

"Like this," Myco said. He spun around on two small feet, and two golden, heart-shaped lapel pins appeared. One flew to Mushroom, the other to Vanilla.

"Pin these wherever you want. You'll know what to do," And Myco painfully climbed back into Mushroom's head.

 

The two girls looked at each other, then at the pins, and then at the monster. They shrugged, and almost directly after Mushroom pinned it to her jacket's lapel and Vanilla to her belt, the two shouted their respective phrases: "HEART OF THE PINK SEA, TRANSFORMING POWER!" "HEART OF THE ORANGE STICKS, TRANSFORMING POWER!"

The two girls transformed, and looked at their new outfits, were predictably shocked. Myco, communicating with Mushroom, gave her instructions.

"These pins and the transforming grant you magical powers beyond your level-you'll definitely be strong enough to fight this thing off."

 

Mushroom transferred the message to Vanilla, and she nodded. Vanilla took her newfound wand, chanted a spell, and managed to bind the monster just enough that Mushroom could physically attack it with her guitar. The creature had been much easier than it had seemed, and after it was killed, their outfits melted away.

The girls were silent for a moment, and then questioned Myco, asking him why the #### he had done what he'd done.

 

"Me and Vanilla walked home after that, as Myco said it wasn't safe to talk about it in such a public area," Mushroom stated. "I know you're wondering what he said, so I'll repeat anything he said-but before I do, do you guys have any questions?"

"Where is Myco?" Cheesemaster asked.

"Myco, to make a long story short-" Mushroom started, "Was an alien from the same planet the monsters come from. He came to help us defeat their leader Elld'Reik, and went home after Elld'Reik was dead."

 

"But wasn't Elld'Reik the monster you just fought?"

"I'll get to that soon. Anyway-" She cleared her throat, took a drink of the tea she'd been given, and went on.

"This is what Myco said to us, completely unaltered. I don't really know why I remember this so immaculately, but that's for another day I guess." She took another drink, and started.

 

" 'I'm Myco, as you both should know by now. I was supposed to get here earlier, but those monsters-the Elld'Reik's Abominations-tried to stop me. Me and those things come from the same planet together, a place called Tecj. It's an ok place, but an evil, unholy monster called Elld'Reik came to our planet from a faraway place and started creating monsters to terrorize us, and eventually went on to other planets so he could take them over like he did Tecj. Dreamtopia was his second stop-he must have picked it because it's a major planet. But I knew I had to stop him, because if Elld'Reik took over Dreamtopia, well, terrible things would happen. So I tried my hardest, hitchhiking and using rickety spaceships, to make my way here and try and find five chosen ones.' "

Mushroom stopped. "It was here that me and Vanilla asked 'Five? So there's more we've got to find?'. Myco had nodded, and answered 'Yes. There are five chosen mages to defeat Elld'reik and his monsters.' Looking back, it's pretty danged convenient that all five chosen ones were in the same town. But I digress."

 

" 'These lapel pins contain incredible magical powers of the five spirits of my home planet-Pink Sea, Orange Sticks, Green Haze, Metallic Dream, and Blood Wall. These five spirits are embedded in the pins, and by shouting the phrase, you can rapidly increase your magical powers. Not enough to use the Ultimate Spells (Mushroom stopped and said, "Like for me, that's Destruction Symphony"), not even powerful enough to use really advanced spells, but pretty powerful. You'll have to use these tAo defeat Elld'Reik's abominations, and eventually find him and defeat him yourself. But that's only when you find the last three and become powerful enough.'

Me and Vanilla asked Myco how we would tell we'd found a chosen one. 'Fate will pull a chosen one into battle with you. I'll tell them myself,"' And with that Myco had jumped back into my head very painfully."

 

"I'll spare you boring details of endless fights against Elld'Reik Abominations-it's really a wonder that they all still attacked our one city of SummerMeadows. I mean, it made sense when we were still looking for chosen ones, because they needed to kill them, but after we found them, we wondered why they didn't move to another city or region of the planet or even another planet where we couldn't stop them. Whatever. Let's just get into how we found Dawn. Anymore questions before I start again?"

 

No one said anything, so she began again.

 

"As you may know, Dawn was an exchange student from Cullough, and stayed at the school since none of her family had come to Dreamtopia. We'd already considered making her our friend-she didn't really have any friends, since she was a little weird and not very social at the time. Really shy, I guess. Anyway, she was in a lot of our classes, so we worked with her as much as we could, and slowly enough, we got to know her a lot better. We learned about her family, about her sisters, how her sister had married Jakob Rabbitt the prosecutor, his brother James Rabbitt, all that stuff; so she became our friend. Since she stayed at the school, she couldn't walk home with us."

 

"Eventually, we learned Dawn was a part of us when a monster attacked the school-this monster wasn't so much a Cosmic-Horror-From-Beyond-The-Void as they usually were. I remember it was more of a wolf-thing. "

 

Dawn, Vanilla, and Mushroom walked in the hallways together after a day at school. Dawn was on her way to her room in the school, which after she went inside Mushroom and Vanilla would head for their own homes. Students were still in the hallways, heading either outside to begin going home or remaining for school activities.

The three had been innocently walking towards Dawn's room when screams were heard from the remaining students, shoving their way past the girls and nearly crushing them. The three, somehow, managed to make their way to a wall, where despite being in danger of being smashed against the wall were able to try and find a clear space. Dawn looked back and saw a towering wolf-like creature, clawing at students as teachers and school officers did all in their power to try and stop it.

 

Mushroom and Vanilla clutched Dawn, looking for a place to run. After slowly moving through the mass of teenagers, they found double doors that led to a club room; the room was empty, and the three girls hid inside with little notice from the other students or faculty.

 

Mushroom and Vanilla took deep breaths, and looked at each other; then at Dawn. Mushroom and Vanilla both wondered if they should transform in front of their new friend, when Myco began to speak.

 

"Quick! Quickly!!" He said frantically. "What is it?" Mushroom thought, as she had learned she could speak with Myco with thoughts.

"She's a chosen one," Myco said, and Mushroom gasped. Vanilla and Dawn, in unison, asked what was wrong, and with no time for explanation, Myco shoved another golden heart-shaped lapel pin very painfully out of Mushroom's head. It fell into Dawn's hands, surprisingly clean of any residue. She looked at it, a stupefied look on her face.

"No time for explanation right now," Mushroom said, as she clutched her own pin, and Vanilla followed suit. The two transformed, and like Mushroom and Vanilla had, Dawn shouted the words that came out of seemingly nowhere-transforming into a much frillier version of her black dress and now wielding a double-side glaive.

 

"What the #### is-?" She started, but Mushroom kicked the door open and ran up to the monster, which had either killed or knocked out all the faculty that had tried and failed to stop it.

"These are magic pins from another planet. That-" Mushroom pointed at the wolf-creature-"Is an Elld'Reik Abomination. A monster created by the Cosmic Horror called Elld'Reik. The pin gives you heightened magic powers. Go on, try a Dark Spell."

Dawn was frightened, but swallowed anyway. "OK," She said, and spun her glaive, ran towards the wolf-creature, and screamed "Shadow Scar!"

The end of the glaive pointed at the monster glowed with black-colored energy, and she sliced at the monster, leaving behind a large cut in its torso, with the same black energy spilling out.

 

"Leaf Shurikens!" Vanilla shouted, threw her wand in the air, and it split into four leaf-shaped throwing stars that, with a wave of her paws, pinned the monster to the school wall.

"Dawn, let's do a duo spell," Mushroom suggested, and Dawn, unsure but willing anyway, stood next to her new friend.

"Midnight…" Dawn shouted.

"…Show!" Mushroom finished, as Dawn swung her glaive at the monster and Mushroom played a slow riff on her guitar. Dark Energy shaped into music notes barraged the monster until it was finally defeated. Mushroom and Vanilla stood around Dawn, who was staring at the ground.

"Well?" Vanilla asked impatiently, and Mushroom shook her head. "Dawn, are you alright?"

Dawn lifted her head, though her eyes were still somber. "Yea, I'm fine. But it's really weird."

 

"After that, we took her to her room and explained everything so far to her."

"For a really long time-I think about six months-We didn't find anyone else. We looked at everyone in the school with paranoid eyes, wondering who were the last two chosen ones who would help us fight. But six grueling months of fighting monsters, with every single battle marked by Dawn remarking about how cute the monster was, we found PMM."

 

PMM, who was sitting on the table, smiled smugly and thumped his fist, but said nothing.

 

"As I've said, PMM was our teacher. He was a human, and they weren't really very common on Dreamtopia. He had been to Earth multiple times, too-He'd even lived there. We found him really interesting, but he was too arrogant that we didn't know if we wanted to be friends with him or not. Typically, being friends with a teacher was really weird."

 

"As I think we've said before, PMM taught to the Technology Mages in the school, and taught about general science and other assorted Technological things at the school. People thought he was weird for liking Earth technology so much, his public cosplay, but mostly his height. But I'm straying far from the topic at hand. Let me get to how we learned he was a chosen one."

 

"All three of us had managed to miss school due to some massive monster attacks in the downtown area of SummerMeadows, and had managed to make up most of our work since it was mostly performing spells for our specific Elemental Instructor or paperwork. For PMM, we had quite a bit of make-up work to do, so all three of us came in after school in order to do it."

 

"Mushroom_king, Vanilla Star Hamster, and Dawn Rabbitt," PMM said sarcastically as the three girls walked into the classroom. PMM sat at his desk playing a game on the computer. "It's about time you three came here to make up your work. How was skipping out on class?"

The girls said nothing as they set their bags down on the desks they planned to sit at, and went over to get the work from PMM.

"Hmmm?" He asked, looking up. "Oh. Here you go," He said, flinging some papers at them, annoyed. "I'm kicking #### on here, so don't interrupt me."

"We won't, Mr. Master," Dawn said kindly. The three girls sat down, got out pencils, and began doing the combination paper-and-computer assignments. The sound on the computer game came only through a headset, so the room was quiet save for an occasional audible yell through the headset and keys tapping. PMM would frequently utter a "Yes!" or "No!" or "So close!" or "Darn it!", but these were the only words spoken.

 

The girls were almost done with their work and were about to get up, turn it in, and leave, when a rumbling noise was heard and a computer almost fell on Vanilla. The thing fell to the floor, screen-first, and the sickening noise of school supplies breaking was made with the monitor cracking. PMM looked over, and was moving to stand on the desk.

 

"Darn it, you three!! Don't you know the penalty for breaking school prop-?"

Another rumble was heard, and the teacher was about to fall to the floor; he caught himself, and just as he did the door (along with a good portion of wall) was blown away and a large brown-colored Elld'Reik Abomination with a bright red, pointed mouth stormed in, ready to destroy. The three girls stood up, preparing to transform, when PMM stood tall on the desk, pointed at it, and shouted "OBJECTION!"

The yell shook the room, and the monster seemed somehow hurt by it. PMM climbed down, waved his hand again, and shouted "TAKE THAT!" as an unseen wave of energy blew the creature across the room. PMM walked over, and began screaming at the monster.

 

"You ####!" He screamed at it, "You interrupted my Internet connection, right when I was about to kill that creature I always play with on there!!! I HATE THAT GUY!! He's so cheap and I've been looking forward to killing him! In the game, I mean."

The monster said nothing and roared in his face. PMM took his green jacket, threw it off to the side, and rolled up his white sleeves to prepare for a fight.

"Do you think he can handle it on his own?" Mushroom wondered both to the girls and to Myco.

"He's powerful, since he's a professor," Myco examined, "But he's a chosen one. Let me give him the pin and let's watch."

 

The girls gasped at this when Mushroom said it; their teacher, a man, a chosen one? They'd honestly expected only teenage girls to be chosen ones. That was the way it was in all the shows. But another lapel pin fell out-The Metallic Dream.

"MR. MASTER!!!" The girls shouted in unison, and threw the pin towards PMM, who barely caught it. He examined it, while just barely managing to fend off the monster.

"What the #### is this?" He shouted, and Mushroom yelled back, "It's a Transforming Pin! Wear it and you'll know what to do!!"

 

PMM stared at her-even though he wore blocker glasses you could almost see his eyes narrowed in disbelief. But he put it on anyway, pinned to his shirt, and like the three girls before him, not knowing what he was saying, shouted "HEART OF THE METALLIC DREAM! TRANSFORMING POWER!!"

The teacher transformed, and looked at his new outfit. "Hey, a keyblade! I'm Sora!" He shouted, laughing.

"It heightens your magical abilities," Vanilla explained. "We have three of them as well. Try it out."

 

PMM thought for a moment, and then grinned. "Alright, then. First, I'm going to do some cheating," He shouted, and his arms outstretched, shouted "UP UP DOWN DOWN LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT B A SELECT START-"

"What's he mumbling about?" Mushroom asked in disbelief. "This can't be what Technology Mages are like."

PMM aimed the keyblade at the monster. "Thirty Extra Lives, ####," He said, and ran towards it, swinging his keyblade into the monster's skull. It roared in pain, and reached its long snout towards him, successfully grabbing him in its jaws. Mushroom shrieked, and with no hesitation transformed.

Mushroom, after transforming, slammed her guitar into the head of the monster, freeing her teacher.

 

"Teacher," She said helpfully, "Let's do a duo spell. I've found them really powerful," She said, and PMM got up. His body and clothes were torn up from being in the monster's jaws. He nodded, and the two stood next to each other.

"SOUND VOYAGE!!" They shouted in unison, not really knowing what they had said. PMM jumped forward, shoued "ORBITER! Finish it off!", and using his keyblade, summoned a small Earth and slammed it into the monster's head, killing it.

Vanilla and Dawn applauded as the transformations melted away. PMM looked around, and then at the girls.

 

"Wait. Does this mean I have to fight with you now?"

Mushroom nodded.

"But I'm a gamer AND a teacher!" He protested. "How can I teach, play video games, and help save the world?"

Mushroom leaned down, and put her hand on his shoulders. Vanilla and Dawn walked over too, and knelled down to his level.

"Please, teacher? There's only five who can stop those monsters, and we need to find the fifth person so we can end the madness."

PMM was hesitant. He grabbed his elbow, and like a kid throwing a tantrum, looked away. "Aw, OK," He finally said. "But You're going to have a lot of subs in this class. And I'm still a gamer first and world-saver next."

 

PMM cheered for himself, and Mushroom giggled.

"And finally," She said, "How Dana got into the group."

"Blood Queen," She protested, and Mushroom shouted "No Interruptions!". She took a long drink, and began.

"My throat is really sore from talking so much." She sighed, asked for more tea, and as Cheesemaster got it for her, began.

 

"Dana-as she was ONLY called Dana back then-was a Blood Mage who transferred into our school from another county, and in turn her family had immigrated to Dreamtopia."

"At our school, like Technology Mages & Love Mages, Blood Mages tend to have a little bit of stigma to them. Tech Mages are stereotyped as nerds, Love Mages as sluts or mushy-gushy girls, and Blood Mages as sadistic killers. Well, Tech Mages usually WERE a little geeky, but also very, very smart. Blood Mages were sadistic, but few were killers. Dana was a good example of this."

 

"Rumors would spread like wildfire through the school of how Dana Lion was suspended for scratching up a guy, or got ISS for beating this guy to a pulp, or even worse punishments for doing even worse things. She was really scary. And, to top everything off, she was a succubus, so while she was terrifying, boys in school still really liked her for her good looks and her, well, assets."

Mushroom paused as the cup of tea was given to her; she thanked her friend, and Blood Queen stared down at her chest, but said nothing since she would be scolded again.

 

"And the boys who DIDN'T fall in love with her because of her physical appearance, she charmed with Magic. She was really scary-and we actually thought she was an Elld'Reik Abomination when she charmed PMM."

 

"She has to be," Mushroom said, "Look at her-"

Vanilla and Dawn looked as Dana, dressed in an outfit that covered little, and what was covered was covered so tightly it left little to imagination, as she used Charm Magic on the teacher, his small head and body shoved forcefully into her chest.

"She's distracting him. He's our most powerful friend. Elld'Reik must have sent her to come and distract him, and then send a super-powerful monster to kill us."

Vanilla and dawn thought it over, and then all three looked at the girl.

"Dana Lion!" Mushroom shouted, pointing, and the girl looked; she stopped, and PMM fell off of her chest but remained charmed.

 

"Yes, Mushroom_king?" Dana asked in a voice mixed with sweetness and sarcasm. "What do you need?"

"I'm calling you out as an Elld'Reik Abomnation," Mushroom shouted, and Dana looked surprised.

"A what?" And Mushroom, running over and transforming, tried to attack Dana.

"Don't talk like that! You're charming Mr. Master so we lose our strongest mage, and your master will send a powerful monster to kill us!"

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Dana retorted, flying into the air to dodge the attack. "But if you're looking for a fight, I'll definitely give you one."

"No, Mushroom!" Vanilla shouted. "It's a trap. She'll weaken you so you can be killed faster!"

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Dana said, looking at Vanilla, looking very, very confused.

Vanilla stopped, and Dawn folded her arms. "Maybe Dana isn't one of the Abominations," She wondered.

 

Dana opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped when the five (PMM was broken out of his spell when Dana forgot about it) heard a stomping noise-behind them was a real Elld'Reik Abomination.

"A real one!" Mushroom shouted, and looked at her friends, who speedily transformed. Dana looked confused.

"So wait, you four are some kind of superhero group that's been FIGHTING these monsters?!"

 

Mushroom nodded, and Dana flew back to the ground. Vanilla and Dawn rushed in with barrages of spells, while PMM stumbled his way in. Mushroom was about to unleash a Sound Spell she had learned, when the excited voice of Myco entered her head.

"That's it!!! That's it, by Goodness she's it!!! The last one!! The Blood Wall!!!"

Mushroom gasped, and a lapel pin fell out of her head. Mushroom barely caught it and tossed it to Dana, and her excitement (and slight disappointment, if she could say so) was almost too much to explain-but she did.

 

Dana stared at the pin. "This dumb, tacky thing? Well, it has blood on it. That's cool. I'll wear it." Dana pinned it to her belt loop, and instantly shouted "HEART OF THE BLOOD WALL! TRANSFORMING POWER!!"

She did transform; and looking at her outfit, she deemed it beautiful, sexy, and best of all to her, showed off her features and was very revealing. She especially liked her tiara, and decided maybe she would like fighting with these four-even though she was definitely not a friends person.

 

"I think you can guess how the rest turned out," Mushroom said. "Dana reluctantly joined us. We continued to fight increasingly strong monsters, until we faced Elld'Reik himself, and killed him, and said a sad good-bye to Myco. We kept the pins, just in case-that was what Myco said."

Mushroom leaned back in her chair, took a drink, and announced she was done with the story.

 

Cheesemaster blinked. Arkcher was shocked.

"I see," He said quietly. "So what? That's it? Elld'reik decided to attack you here, too?"

Mushroom shrugged. "I don't really know," She said. "I may not ever know. All I know is that I'm pretty sure he's done for this time."

Mushroom got up, drank the rest of her quickly-drank cup of tea, and went up to put it away as the boys discussed the astonishing , if abruptly told, story.

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

 

Dawn found herself…somewhere. It seemed familiar to her somehow, the way the ground felt beneath her. She rose, opened her eyes, and realized she was in the forest near The Rabbitt Manor. She assumed the Golden Chimera and Bloody Ripper had transported her here. She looked around, wiping her eyes, wondering how long she'd been there. Her dress was covered with dirt and twigs off the ground, and her hair had leaves strewn through it as well. She tried her best to get them out, but was unsuccessful due to the daze she was in.

 

"We see you've woken up," Came a voice, and Dawn, straggling to get up, looked and saw the Chimera and Ripper standing nearby. Dawn yawned, and looked at them sleepily.

"Why am I here?" Dawn asked, and the two monsters came closer to her.

"We need to discuss something," The Chimera said. Dawn sat down on the dirt of the clearing, and looked at them. She said nothing, waiting for them to begin talking.

"You remember how your two halves were fighting on that boat?" The Chimera asked, and Dawn stood up defiantly.

 

"I didn't know that those two forms were two different people. I thought they were parts of me-you know, different forms of me. Who are they really?"

"You from past lives," The Chimera answered. "You channel their spirits and draw on their powers when they take over your body. You have only some control when they are using your body."

"Why couldn't you have told me this when you gave me those powers?" Dawn asked, but the Chimera ignored her.

"What you're here for is, your powers are exceedingly strong to be freely used like they are-we had no idea you had that powerful lapel pin.

"So what am I here to do?"

 

The Chimera paused, and looked at the Ripper, who still didn't speak.

"We need to seal the Alliance Powers in such a way that another person would have to unleash them."

"Seal them away?" Dawn asked. "Like a rosary, almost?"

"Almost," The Chimera said. Reluctance was heavy in its voice. "A different seal for both powers."

Dawn paused, and her eyes suddenly filled with fear. "This will be painful-won't it? How exactly will we…?"

 

"The Freedbird Alliance Powers will be sealed in a choker around your neck," The Chimera said. "But the Dead Alliance Powers…will be quite a bit more painful."

Dawn looked at the Ripper, for the first time not viewing it as the 'cute' monster she usually saw it as, and rather saw it as a torturer.

Before Dawn, there appeared a small Choker, which she reached for and held in her hands. It was a satin purple ribbon with a purple Butterfly in the middle. She wrapped it around her neck, and a curious sensation came over her as soon as she did. Golden Light surged out from her body, out of her eyes and mouth, and she was flung forcefully to the ground. She reached up to the choker but found it attached to her neck as if a part of her and she couldn't latch it away. She breathed heavily, and The Ripper moved forward towards her, and she attempted to crawl away; but the Ripper's powers held her in place, and deciding she could not run away, did as she was commanded.

 

"Stand up," The Ripper said, speaking for the first time in some time. She stood up, and looked up at the Ripper with fear.

"This will sound strange, but take off your dress."

Dawn paused, looked at the monster curiously, but did as she was told anyhow. She stood in the woods with her hat, bra, boots, and panties on, and relished the feel of her long hair down her back. The Ripper moved around, so it was facing Dawn's back.

"Move your hair." Dawn flipped her lengthy hair over her shoulder. The Ripper raised its blood-stained claw, and Dawn braced herself.

No amount of bracing could have prepared her for the unimaginable pain that followed as two claws ripped down her back, evenly spaced, down her back. Dawn screamed, screamed as loud as she could as her blood cascaded down and into the ground. She had begun to cry just as the Ripper raised its claws out of her. Dawn sobbed from the pain, but the Ripper said nothing.

 

"What the #### are you doing?!" Dawn screamed.

"This is how the Dead Alliance powers will be sealed," the Ripper said.

"Why does it have to hurt so much?!" Dawn screamed again. The Ripper said nothing, and like the choker before, Ribbons, again purple, appeared before her. She reached for them, but the Ripper snatched them out of the air first, and Dawn, not able to see what was happening behind her, felt only something silky on her back, and winced as she got more and more wounds.

 

The Ripper eventually moved away from her, and Dawn fell to the ground. "Oww," She said, her voice tired. "What did you do?"

The Chimera and Ripper moved so they were in front of her now, and using magic, a mirror appeared in front of her. Dawn turned around, her hair still over her shoulder, and looked.

 

Down her back was a corset-a corset, with metal and ribbons, pierced directly into her back. Blood had been messily wiped away, and it was painful beyond belief.

"Those ribbons are sealing away the Dead Alliance Powers," The Chimera explained. "They can only be removed by another person, and it will keep both spirits from being channeled at the same time. "

Dawn winced again, and stood up.

 

"Can I go home now?" She asked, getting her dress back on. "And can I tell them?"

"Go ahead," The Chimera answered, and said nothing as it and the Ripper disappeared into the forest.

Dawn sighed, and barely was able to walk back to town to find her friends.

[Mushroom_king]

On Invision, as you may remember, there is a floating island called Taynio; and on the island there is an unnamed city. That city is not habited by very many Invisionists, possibly not more than a hundred. In the town

is a large church, recently made into a University with dorms for people to live in. The building is owned by a man who is also called Taynio, and he was sitting along in the chapel of the building.

 

He sat on the floor, in front of a large wooden cross, which itself was in front of a large stained glas window. Taynio sat there, and in front off him was a ragged Bible with a H$ Bill serving as a bookmark. He would flip the frail pages of

the book, read, and repeated this several times before hearing the bell of the University ringing, sounding as if it were far in the distance.

Upon hearing it, Taynio picked up his book, placed the money in between the pages, and walked off.

 

---------------------------------------

 

Meanwhile, back at the Port of Cheese, Cheesemaster was getting up and going to get papers to sell that day. An enormous special was printed about Mushroom and her friends, and their endeavor to defeat Elld'Reik back on their home of Dreamtopia.

The complete story of what happened to them was printed in the paper, and Cheesemaster expected almost, if not more, sales than he had yesterday. He'd sold well over a hundred papers the day before with the news of monsters attacking Hamsterdam,

and with the five's permission, had their story printed. Dawn's power over the Alliance, however, was not mentioned.

 

"We're living well for the time being," Cheesemaster said excitedly to Edna as the two walked in the early morning to the place where he got his papers.

"That's right!" Said Edna, bounding next to his friend. His oversized red suspenders bounced by his sides and he hopped, jumping over cracks and looking at plants or insects in the sidewalk. He'd been enthusastic ever since his friend returned home.

"We're making lots of money from the good headline!"

"Good headlines are what make ends meet in our house," Cheesemaster said quietly. Edna either ignored or didn't hear this, for he kept bounding past his friend on the sidewalk, occasionally spinning in circles, until they reached the small printing factory where the papers were produced.

 

Edna ran ahead of Cheesemaster and pushed the door open, and held it in place despite his tiny body for his friend. Cheesemaster, laughing, thanked his young friend. Edna pushed the door shut, and Cheesemaster kneeled down to look his friend in the eye.

"Edna, I need you to do something important for me today." Edna looked into Cheesemaster's bespectacled eyes, his face full of wonder.

"I need you to help me sell the papers today."

Edna's eyes sparkled. "Really?!"

Cheesemaster nodded. "Lots of young boys like you probably sold papers when paperboys were everywhere-I mean, on my planet Earth at least. Since so many people are interested in this story and the headline, I'll need someone to help me out today."

 

Edna gasped with excitement, and Cheesemaster, paying for a smaller stack of papers, handed them down to Edna, who nearly fell when he grabbed them. "You got 'em?" Cheesemaster asked, and Edna nodded over the stack. Cheesemaster smiled, and grabbed his own bigger stack, payed for them, and the two were out the door.

Cheesemaster placed part of his stack into his brown leather bag, and hauled the other half up onto his shoulder; Edna copied him. When the two walked out, Cheesemaster took a paper with his free hand and began advertising the headline as soon as possible.

"Special Edition Today! Huge special on Magic Soldiers from Dreamtopia! Read all about it!!"

Edna tried, awkwardly, to grab a single paper out of his stack and do the same thing.

"Uhm...Uh, Read all about it! Special detailing about Dreamtopian defenders!!"

 

The duo continued this way as they walked down the street to their house, and had already sold a few papers when they arrived back to the house. The crowds finally came out to go to work and school, and the boys could barely keep their papers on them. By the time it was time to go back inside, they had all but run out.

The two went inside, exhausted from interacting with so many people; Cheesemaster slumped into his armchair, his glasses sliding down his nose and a loose suspender falling off his shoulder and down one arm. Edna climbed into the oversized armchair across from him; unlike Cheesemaster, he was still excited and not tired at all.

 

Cheesemaster sat up eeventually, adjusted his glasses and suspender, and wondered aloud about what he wanted to do.

"We ought to visit Dawn," He said, stretching an arm towards the bookshelf to grab something to read. "I'm sure she's really worn out from fighting monsters. You were asleep, but out of all five of them she got hurt the most. From what I hear, she was horribly tired. We ought to check on her."

Edna nodded, smling, and with a laugh, added "I'm sure you're very worried about Mrs. Mushroom, too!"

"of course-She's my friend! Why wouldn't I?" He thought for a moment, and then leaned back, narrowing his eyes. "Hold on."

Edna giggled, and then burst out laughing. Cheesemaster frowned. "Stop that. I know what you're thinking."

 

Edna continued to laugh, and Cheesemaster tried speaking over him. "Speaking of friends, I haven't been to Taynio in some time, I think not in a year or so. I remember we almost went there with Aloysius, but something happened and we weren't able to go."

"But you can't go and visit now!" Edna said, suddenly stopping his laughter. "You've been away a lot in the past few months. You ought to stay home and do your job!" He said accusingly.

"That's true," Cheesemaster sighed. "Let's just wait a while and see."

 

---------------------------------------------

 

That night, as he had said, Cheesemaster took Edna to the Rabbitt Manor to visit Dawn. They didn't want any dinner, just wanted to visit her, but of course Jakob would not stand for even that.

 

Cheesemaster took Edna's hand and climbed aboard a trolley that went near the feild that held the Mansion. The troolley was rickety and usually stuffed with people-the boys always saw it by their house in the morning-but today they got a rare chance to actually sit in a seat on the trolley. It was safer than standing, but still rickety.

Edna loved riding the trolley, because he got to see all sorts of people who he waved or said hello to and they would often say hello back; plus, despite being unsafe, the rolling and rocking and rickety nature of the trolley made for a bumpy ride that a child like Edna found entertaining.

 

The trolley stopped near the large meadow where the Mansion was, and the pair walked the rest of the way there.

 

Cheesemaster walked up, with Edna's tiny hand firmly in his grip, and knocked on the door of the house using a knocker shaped like a rabbit's head. Edna looked up, and in order to make himself feel less scared, he remarked "I never met a family that made such a big deal over their last name. Everything here has Rabbits on it. I kind of wonder why?"

Cheesemaster looked down and smiled at him. "I wouldn't know, though what I do know is that last names originated from people's occupations. Perhaps the last name goes far, far back, and a long time ago, their family did something with rabbits. Maybe they bred them."

Edna looked confused. "Bred them? For what?"

Cheesemaster shrugged. "If they were a German family, I would assume farming them for meat..."

"They eat rabbits?!" Edna gasped. His eyes grew wide. "Mr. Leguan eats bunnies?!"

Cheesemaster shook his head. "No, no! Well, maybe. I wouldn't know! You can ask him though. Perhaps we could ask Dawn."

Edna nodded, and finally, the door opened. Luckily, it was not Jakob, but rather James Rabbitt. James opened the door wider, and welcomed the boys inside with a hearty greeting.

 

"Nice to see you both," James said as Cheesemaster shut the door. Regaining a firm grip on Edna's hand, Cheesemaster explained that they were there to see Dawn.

James nodded. "Yes, she's been in her bed ever since coming back from Hamsterdam, and Jakob's been in a fit. For a man that hates her so much, he really does complain about when she's hurt."

James sighed. "But I think he's just in want of more reasons to keep her and her sisters, and Richard too, inside all the time. He already does it well with Julia."

Cheesemaster nor Edna said anything. James led them through the foyer, and asked them if they wanted any tea or anything else. Cheesemaster said that they would love some, but bring some up to Dawn's room.

James obliged, and after pointing them in the right direction, the two made their way to their friend's bedroom.

 

----------------------------------------------

 

The boys walked into Dawn's spacious bedroom, an enormous room with violet walls and purple carpets; a big purple vanity, where a large brush made for Dawn's lengthy brown hair was, and next to it was a big hat rack filled with the same black cap she wore all the time. Many posters with pictures of dragons, fairies, and heavy metal bands clashed with the

rest of the elegant room, which contained an enormous, circular purple bed with a satin canopy. Dawn laid in the bed, her beautiful brown hair a mess, her dress wrinkled, and what remained of her make-up smeared. Around the bed were dressers and bookshelfs; on either side of her bed were two nightstands, each with a lamp, and The Monster Book, along with pencils,

laying on one nightstand. A few cushiony chairs were strewn around the room; Cheesemaster took two and set them next to Dawn's bed, and Cheesemaster, watching over her, said softly, "Dawn?"

 

She stirred a little, and Cheesemaster, moving down from his chair, sat on his knees on the floor, his head resting on his arms on the bed next to her.

"Dawn? Are...uhm, are you alright?"

Dawn stirred again, and slowly opened her eyes, looking at him.

"Chees...Cheesemaster?" She said softly, and shut her eyes again. Then he eyes shot up and she started forward, and she shouted "Cheesemaster?! My God, what are you doing here?! This is so embarassing-I look so horrible-you shouldn't see me like this-"

Dawn leaped out of bed, wearing nothing but a satin, lace nightgown, and ran over to her vanity. She had turned bright, bright red, and was furiously wiping old, crusted eyeliner and foundation off her face.

"Dawn," Cheesemaster said, standing up. He looked rather embrassed himself, and Edna looked up at him from his chair, and shrugged without saying anything.

 

"Dawn, you should really be resting. I don't mind, really. You look fine."

"I don't," Dawn said, sounding rushed. "When I have a guest over, I can't look like this, my hair messed up, wearing my nightclothes, makeup from two days ago smeared on my face-"

"Dawn, please. We just came over to see if you were fine."

Dawn sighed, and was silent for a moment. The leftover make-up was washed away from her face, and barelymaking it back over, collapsed on her bed. Cheesemaster gasped, and asked if she was alright.

"I'm fine," Dawn insisted, crawling across the bed to where she'd been. "I-" She cleared her throat. "I need blood."

 

Cheesemaster and Edna exchanged glances. Cheesemaster cleared his throat, and noticed a curious feeling rising from the pit of his stomach. "Well, we've already established you can't drink my blood..."

Dawn barely managed to crawl back under the covers, and coughed. Edna, too, got a curious feeling in the pit of his stomach, and pulled himself backwards.

"Y-You don't wanna drink my blood, do you, Ms. Dawn?" Edna asked, sounding scared. "I mean, you can if you n-need to-"

"There'll be no such thing happening," Cheesemaster said. Cheesemaster tugged at his shirt's collar. "Dawn, you sure you can't use my cheese-blood?"

Dawn rolled over, and looked sad. "I don't know. All I know is that I feel so weak, and the fighting caused me to lose a lot of blood." Dawn rolled onto her stomach, wincing if her back touched the bed.

 

A knock came at the door, and in walked James, with a tray holding three cups of tea. He walked over, and handed them to Cheesemaster, who set them on the nightstand. Dawn looked up at James, who sat on a third chair.

"There's some tea. Is there anything else you might need?"

Dawn tried to speak. "James..." She muttered, and groaned. Cheesemaster looked at James, and said, "What she's trying to say is that, well, she really needs some blood."

James said nothing for a moment, wondering what he could do.

 

"Dawn, do you need some of my own blood?" James asked, and Dawn nodded. "I'm assuming you didn't want to take Edna's."

She nodded yes, and James walked over to the bed, Cheesemaster and Edna moving, and he kneeled down towards Dawn. She barely reached over, and bit down into James's neck; he winced, and a trickle of bright red fell on the bedsheet as she drank it. Dawn sighed as she detached herself from James's neck, and James groaned, rubbing the wound he now had.

"Thanks James," She said, already sounding and looking a lot better. James nodded, and standing up, walked off so he could get a bandage for the wounds.

 

When he left, Cheesemaster took a drink of his tea and offered some to Dawn, who gladly took a drink. She sat up to drink it, again wincing whenever he back was touched by the bed. She carefully laid the cup back onto the tray and began to talk.

"Why did you two come over here? I haven't seen you ever since we left Hamsterdam."

"Me and Edna have been busy with selling papers," Cheesemaster explained, "But we made some time to come visit you and make sure you were alright."

"That was nice of you," Dawn said. She raised her arms and stretched, but lost her balance and landed on her back-still sore from the ordeal in the woods. She screamed in pain, causing both of the boys to jump.

"Dawn!!" Cheesemaster shouted, as her eyes began to water. He reached for her, and she slowly, wincingly, got up. She was crying now, and Cheesemaster sat next to her to see what might be wrong.

"Dawn, what just happened?!" He asked frantically. Dawn shook her head. "My back is in incredibly pain. You wouldn't want to see."

 

Cheesemaster said nothing for a moment, and gave her a fierce look. "Show me now, Dawn. I need to know why you're in pain."

"It might be scary for Edna," She said, and Edna straigtened his hat. "I'll be fine, whatever it is," He claimed, btu stood close to Cheesemaster just in case.

"I'm not that comfortable taking off my nightgown and showing you," She said, making another excuse to not show them. Cheesemaster sighed, and demanded to see.

 

"Fine!!" Dawn shouted suddenly, standing up. She turned around, and slowly raised her nightgown off her head, wincing when the fabric touched her back. She eventaully had it off, and was in nothing but purple lace panties and bra. She lifted her hair and showed them the ribbons that had been sewn into her back.

They both gasped, and Edna whimpered-but refused to look away. Crusted blood from days ago still remained around the wounds that had been inflicted into her back, and even more from when the hooks were affized into the cuts.

"Why...?" Cheesemaster asked, but was far too stunned to finish. Dawn quickly let her hair down again, and put on her nightgown.

 

"Dawn, who the #### did that to you?!" Cheesemaster started, getting up from his seat. Dawn looked sad, and started to explain what had happened in the woods.

Cheesemaster and Edna both listened with awe.

"I see," Cheesemaster said quietly after the story was finished. "It's been that long but it hasn't stopped hurting?"

"When I first got it, it hurts all the time. Now it just hurts when it's touched, and soon it should stop hurting at all."

"But Dawn...why...?" Even though it had all been explained to him, he still couldn't believe something so terrible could happen to his friend.

"I already explained it to you, it was so my powers could be controlled. Apparently my magic power granted to me by the Alliance Monsters was far too great and they sealed it away in my choker and this...this thing in my back." She sighed, and then smiled sadly.

 

"But, the choker is really pretty, and I guess, if the blood got cleaned up, the ribbons would look pretty too."

Cheesemaster gasped, but in truth, such a statement wasn't really out of character for Dawn.

"Of course, none of my family knows except James-Jakob would kill me if he knew something like this had happened. None of my family, except Sterling, none of them even know I have those powers. Jakob would never believe me. He already hates how I have magic powers."

"But everyone in this family seems to have magic powers or something similar," Edna quipped. "You have magic and you're a vampire. Sterling sees ghosts. Julia's possessed. I dunno what Rick and James do, but it's weird Jakob would hate paranormal stuff so much."

Dawn said nothing, and looked as though she was deep in thought.

 

"You two had best leave soon, before Jakob finds out you're here." Dawn said quickly. Cheesemaster and Edna looked at each other, and Cheesemaster shrugged. "if you insist," Cheesemaster said softly. Edna looked at him worridly.

"But Mr. Cheesemaster, don't you want to stay at least a little longer? I mean-"

"Edna, a gentleman never stays when a lady asks him to leave. Or something among those lines-it's something my father taught me."

"Is that who you learned everything from?" Edna asked suddenly. "Your dad? You never tell me about him."

Cheesemaster stopped, and looked anxious. His stutter that he got whenever he was nervous came as he got up to leave.

"W-Well Edna, I d-don't particularly like t-t-talking about my parents v-very much."

"Whatever, then." Edna said, as Cheesemaster opened the door to leave. He turned around, and the boys said good-bye to Dawn.

 

Cheesemaster and Edna walked out the door and into the hallway, and began to walk down the hall towards the front door of the Mansion when they heard a very audible, male roar of a yell from downstairs.

"Jakob," Edna whimpered, and Cheesemaster nodded, picking up his young friend and slowly walking downstairs so they could leave quietly, without the prosecutor seeing them.

 

Unfortunately, this would not be the case. Cheesemaster and Edna were walking towards the Dining Room when they heard Jakob...crying. It was a sound completely shocking to them, and despite the rudness of eavesdropping, they couldn't help but listen to find out what in the world would make the cruel Jakob Rabbitt cry.

The two passed by the open Dining Room door, and hid out of sight; inside, Jakob was sitting at the table, his head in his hands; his top hat sat on the table and his cane was resting atop a chair, the ears of the iron rabbit-head suspending off the top of it. Jakob's black hair as mussed, possibly from pulling at it, and he was sobbing hysterically.

James stood over his brother, his back to the boys, so they couldn't see his face.

 

"Jakob, you'll be fine. Just stay inside tonight-"

"You don't get it!!" Jakob yelled. He lifted his head out of his tear-soaked hands, and the boys tried not to gasp as they peeked over.

 

Jakob was a mess-his usually grim, cruel-looking face was puffy and pale, and his normally cold eyes were red-rimmed from crying.

"Darn it James, don't you get that I need that potion or I just go...I go insane!"

Cheesemaster didn't say anything, but he and Edna thought the same thing: Jakob, who hated magic and anything strange or paranormal, drank potions to retain his sanity? They weren't really sure what was going on.

"Jakob, it's just one night without it. Stay in your room. I'll-I'll tranquilize you. I don't know. But you don't need to worry, really Jakob. It's nothing to worry about."

Jakob began to sob again, and Cheesemaster, gulping, walked into the room.

 

"What...What's wrong?" Cheesemaster asked, putting Edna down; the boy clinged to his leg in fear.

"Cheesemaster..." James started, turning around. He looked incredibly worried.

Jakob sniffed, and looked up. His sad eyes were now filled with rage along with sadness.

 

"And on top of everything you let THEM into my mansion?!" Jakob screamed. "First forgetting my medicine and now this?! How could you treat your brother that way, James?"

"Jakob, please..."

"Get them out. Now."

Cheesemaster started to say something: "No, please, what's going on? I want to help. I really do."

Jakob threw a fist down on the table, startling everyone. "How the #### could YOU help me, newsie?!"

"Please, what kind of a medicine do you need?"

James fingered with his coat collar. "I understand where you're coming from, Cheese-is it fine if I call you that?-OK, then. Anyway, I understand where you're coming from, but the medicine Jakob needs has to be special ordered. It's...it's not exactly a conventional medicine."

"A potion?" Cheesemaster suggested. Jakob scowled. "Don't refer to it like that."

"Yes," James said, ignoring his brother. "That's it. Jakob...has a severe ailment. Not a disease, really, but it's awful dangerous. Unfortunately, We ran out because one night Jakob had to take two and I didn't think that we would run out. Jakob's just worried about what might happen if he doesn't take his...medicine."

Cheesemaster nodded, understanding. Then he grinned. "If it's not a specialty potion, maybe you could get it from a witch. I know Dawn is friends with a girl who makes Potions-"

"That's preposterous!!" Jakob shouted, but James shushed him. "That doesn't sound so bad, actually. Who is this friend?"

"James.." Jakob growled, and James shushed him again.

"Vanilla Star Hamster is her name," Cheesemaster said. "But I would have to know your medicine if I wanted to order one from her."

 

James and Jakob both gasped in unison, and looked at each other.

"I'm so sorry-Jakob prefers other people don't know what ailment he has. Otherwise, I would definitely get one from your friend."

"Alright," Jakob heaved, his tears all wiped away. "Now get OUT!"

 

"Of course," Edna shouted, and the boys ran back out.

 

------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster and Edna walked out of the mansion, and Cheesemaster, his hands in his pockets, walked ahead, occasionally scratching his head or rubbing his chin in deep though. Edna lagged behind, picking up interesting stones or lost objects out of the Rabbitt Meadow.

 

Eventually Cheesemaster stopped, one arm folded across his chest, the other made into a fist with his chin resting on it.

"Mr. Cheesemaster?" Edna said, walking up beside him, his pockets filled with rocks and other junk. "What are you thinking about?"

"Wondering what 'disease' Jakob's got," He said quietly. He continued walking, his hands behind his back and looking at the sky as they reached the road.

 

Night had fallen while they were at the Mansion, and stars twinkled in the summer sky. Cheesemaster adjusted his glasses, deep in thought.

Edna walked up beside him again. "Well, are we gonna get home, or are you gonna keep stopping?" Edna said playfully. Cheesemaster said nothing, and continued walking home.

"I need to write on something."

 

The boys made their way home, where Cheesemaster, almost immedietly, told Edna to make some tea and that if he needed anything, he would be in his Study; Edna, sighing, knew what that meant.

The Study was a room in the house where Edna had never been; Cheesemaster went in there to write, to study, to build things. Edna was always very lonely when his friend was in the study, but he usually watched some TV for noise when he was in the Study. He rarely watched it, but it was background noise. Silence sometimes made Edna feel lonely and uncomfortable.

 

Cheesemaster went into his study, and locked the door. The room was a personal for him, his own private room. All his untold secrets were in the room, the ones he wouldn't even tell Cheese Woman, Arkcher, or Edna, the three people he had told countless secrets to. Photos on the walls and in books of when he was a child, of his parents, were in here. He could never let anyone see them-they were too big of secrets.

The two longer walls of the rectangular room were lined with bookshelves-countless manuels, papers, and books on engineering and other sciences-but especially engineering and physics. A coat rack stood by the door where Cheesemaster placed his worn brown newsboy cap. Papers were strewn on the floor, ones he kept forgetting to clean up; papers that were torn-out pages of magazines or books, or pages that simply fell out of too-old books. Cheesemaster looked at some, and simply shoved them into an empty place on the shelf, a soon-to-be-forgotten reminder to re-organize.

He quietly walked across the floor, and sat down at the table facing the wall. It was stained from too many hot spills, and covered with books, papers, pencils, and little objects and tools for when he built things.

He turned on the tall lamp that stood next to his desk, filling the area of the room with extra light. He cleared as much stuff as he could, grabbed a notebook, and after sharpening his pencil, began to write.

 

N.A.

CHEESEMASTER

DATE MAY 30TH

 

Jakob Rabbitt's Disease

 

He stopped for a moment. Disease? He wasn't sure what it might be. James said it was an AILMENT of some kind. Disease? Not likely...

 

Jakob Rabbitt's ailment

 

He began by writing down any clues he may have gotten while he was talking with James.

 

-Not a disease per sey

-Controlled with magic medicine/potions

-Makes him go crazy

-Once needed a tranquilizer

 

He thought long and hard, leaning back in his chair, until he finally thought of something.

"This is definitely not something scientific," He thought as he got up and paced the room, something he always did when he thought in order to jog his mind.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, tea is ready!" cried Edna's voice from the living room. Cheesemaster barely heard him, but smiled anyway and decided tea was just the thing.

 

Cheesemaster left the study, locked the door carefully, and walked into the living room where Edna was watching a cartoon on TV.

"Here it is," Edna said, pointing to a tray with two mugs on it. Cheesemaster thanked him and went back into his study to continue thinking about the mysterious ailment Jakob could have.

 

------------------------------------

 

Several days passed, each with slowly declining sales in papers as the story about Mushroom and friends got old. Soon, Cheesemaster and Edna were left with quite a bit of money-more than they had ever had before.

 

"Edna," Cheesemaster started, "How do you think, since we have so much money from selling so many papers, why don't we take a vacation to Taynio? It won't be a trip for a birthday or anything, just a vacation. You'll love it there."

Edna thought for a moment. "You mentioned this a couple days ago, I remember."

Cheesemaster nodded. "I would really like to visit my friends up there. I haven't seen them in so long, and you haven't even met them."

Edna thought for a little bit, and finally said "Well, it sounds fun. How long do you want to go for?"

"Not too long-maybe three or four days. Maybe longer."

"That sounds fantastic!" Edna said. "Let's leave the day after tomorrow!!"

[Mushroom_king]

Two days passed, and Edna and Cheesemaster had packed suitcases with enough clothing for a three-day stay in Taynio. Cheesemaster put most of his paper-selling money into his typically-abandonded bank account, with enough money for the boat and plane trips, with a small amount of spending money.

Cheese Woman, per usual, was asked to sell papers for the boys during their trip; and still, she showed no sign of being sick of constantly having to do their job for them. Cheese Woman never did complain when Cheesemaster asked her to do something for him, mostly because she wanted him to love her back; but, he still saw her as being just a very close friend.

Even so, she didn't seem visibly emotional about this fact, being optimistic that someday he would return her feelings. Cheesemaster insisted she was too much like a sister to him.

 

The boys purchased two tickets for the ship, the same Verne boat that Jakob Rabbitt had taken once that gave out books to all the passengers. Cheesemaster appreciated the gift, being a book lover, but was saddened that he already owned the books they gave him. Edna loved the gift, and made a point that he would read the whole thing on the way to and from Taynio.

Cheesemaster found this an agreeable mission, and the two got onto the boat.

The S.S. verne was a large boat, and was rather expensive. Cheesemaster and Edna had opted for a cheaper room on the boat, a room with just a large bed for both of them, a couch, nightstand, and a small round table.

Their bags went on the couch, and the two decided it was easier to just share their bed that night. Cheesemaster fell onto the bed, got out the book he had brought for the journey, and began reading quietly. Edna decided to go off and explore the ship, and wondered if any friends were aboard.

 

Edna left the room, telling his friend he was off to explore the boat. Cheesemaster nodded, and told Edna not to get into too much trouble.

Edna carefully shut the door, and walked off. A little bit of pocket money jingled in his pockets, and he decided it was not such a bad idea to get some crackers or a soda from a machine, or wherever else some snacks might be sold. He wasn't sure where some would be, and decided it was best to ask someone-starting with the person he trusted most.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster!" He said, opening the door. Cheesemaster looked up from his book, grinning. "Done exploring already?"

"No, but I want a snack and I don't know where I can get one." Edna said.

"Oh, alright. I guess a snack is good to have when you're exploring. Well, I'm not sure, but I think there's some vending machines down the hall."

"Vending machines on a boat? Wouldn't they tip over?"

Cheesemaster giggled, and said "The machines are probably attached to the floor in a way that they wouldn't tip over if the boat rocked."

"Alright, then. Bye for now."

"Bye, Edna."

Edna went into the room and grabbed his satchel, filled it with a book, a notepad, a pencil, and a handheld video game, and put his money inside it as well, and then left to explore.

 

Edna walked down the hallway, looking around. The boat was really very nice-looking, with shiny brown wooden walls, life preservers as decorations (a concept Edna didn't understand-to him it was like putting life jackets as decorations), shiny gold plates showing the room numbers-to Edna it was like a floating hotel. Edna looked at the signs, also shiny gold plates, which pointed him towards the vending area; he walked through several hallways, until he finally found the vending room.

It was a small room with a few lights hanging from the ceiling, and four vending machines-one with soda, one with juice and water, one with snacks, and one had travel supplies in it. Edna walked up to the soda machine and took out an 10 H$ Bill, since that was how much a soda cost-about a dollar in U.S. Money. He ran his fingers oveer the bill, which was orange and decorated with the face of Horatio, until it was as flat as possible. He got ride of any folds and, with Horatio's face up, put it in the machine.

The machine whirred for a moment, and Edna was about to select a drink when the H$ came back out. Edna looked at it with curiosity, and took it back out. He flattened it against the machine, and shoved it back inside the machine. It whirred again, and this time he was able to select a drink. He scanned the sodas available, and pushed the button for the one he wanted.

 

The machine whirred a little bit more, and as Edna waited, he heard a voice somewhere nearby, but too far away for him to tell what it was. He waited for his drink to come out, and when it didn't, he looked at the clear glass wall seperating him and the drinks; his drink hadn't even moved from the rack where it was.

Hope it's not broken, He thought, and tapped on the glass as if expecting a response. The machine shook a little, and Edna jumped as far away from it as possible in fear. the voice he had heard grew a little louder, and now it sounded like it was someone grunting; he stared at the machine, frozen in fear, as it began to rock back and forth, until he saw something appear in the slot where the sodas dropped; but it wasn't his soda, it was a pair of white ears.

Edna bravely walked towards the machine again, and tried examining whatever it was inside the slot; when all of a sudden two big, green eyes appeared, along with the top of a head, and a voice saying "Oh, Hi."

 

Edna screamed and jumped back again as the white head pulled out of the machine, revealing itself to be Kat.

"K-Kat?!" Edna said, and breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me to death!" he said accusingly, and Kat's face twisted with mock anger.

"Well, maybe I WON'T give you your soda, then. Ungrateful little brat."

As she said, Kat was holding the soda Edna had asked for, and he smiled. "But really, you did. I thought it was possessed!"

Kat handed the soda to Edna, and began to explain why she was inside the soda machine.

 

"You see," Kat explained, the two of them walking in the hallways towards the dining area where the two would sit and chat, "I was getting a soda from out of the machine, and after putting that Orange Horatio bill in there a bajillion times, I managed to get the machine to take my bill. So I selected my drink, and somehow, the can got stuck! Can you believe it? I thought that only happened with the snacks. I slammed the machine with my fist and also my foot, but that didn't work, which was weird, because usually it does. So, I thought, What if I could just climb up inside the machine and retrieve my drink thataway?"

Edna stared in awe.

"So I tried it, and guess what-I managed to climb in there and get my drink out! I think I may have turned invisible while I was in there, too."

"Kat, are you sure you're not a mage?" Edna asked.

"A what?"

"A person who uses Magic?"

"Nope, I don't think I am."

Edna sighed. "Never mind, then."

"What are you doing, anyway?"

"I'm exploring!" Edna said happily. "Mr. Cheesemaster is in his room reading, and when we get to Hamsterdam we'll take a plane to Taynio to visit his friend there."

"You mean Taynio? Oh yea, that guy is cool. Dog Lover and the Anon Brothers live there, too. You'll probably like them. But you should definitely stop by Fried Dragon Palace before you go. There's no Chinese Restaurants up on Taynio. I think."

Edna smiled. "I can't wait. Well, thanks for getting my drink for me. I'm gonna keep exploring. Bye bye."

"See ya," Kat said to Edna, and she disappeared.

 

Edna, after wondering how Kat may have vanished, chalked it up to Kat's mysterious powers and decided to continue exploring.

Edna looked at a map of the boat to see what interesting place he could visit net, and after finding nothing that seemed fun, decided to just go to the deck.

 

Edna followed the various directions and signs on the ship until he was finally outside, where many passengers were enjoying the good Summer weather. The sky was bright blue and there were very few clouds; Edna breathed in the salty sea air, and took a look out into the ocean.

The ocean was just as blue as the sky was, and the waves gently rocked the ship about; Edna liked to just sit on the deck and feel the movements.

Edna sat on the deck of the ship, watching the waves, and after some time, fell asleep.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

"Edna? Edna?"

Edna sleepily opened his eyes and found himself on the bed in his room.

"Oh, you woke up. I went to the deck so I could read in the sun, and I found you sleeping. Did you get exhausted exploring?"

Edna yawned and wiped his eyes.

"Mr. Cheesemaster?"

Cheesemaster nodded, and got up from the bed where he'd been sitting. Edna sat up, looking around. His satchel was on the bed with him.

"What time is it?"

"Just in time for us to get a bit of lunch. Are you coming with me?"

Edna grabbed his satchel and jumped off the bed. "Of course! I feel fine."

Cheesemaster smiled and opened the door. "Alright, then. Let's go."

 

The boys walked down the halls and into the dining area, where passengers were crowded waiting in line to get their food. Cheesemaster looked around, and motioned for Edna to grab his hand so he didn't get lost. Cheesemaster looked around, and eventually the two found a small, square-shaped wooden table with two chairs against a wall. The two made their way over to it and Cheesemaster sat Edna down.

"Edna, can you wait here while I get food for us? What do you want?"

Edna nodded at the first question, and thought for a bit at the second.

"what kind of stuff will they have?" Edna asked, and Cheesemaster looked behind him at the crowd, as if that would mentally tell him what they served.

"I'm not sure. I'll go look and come back and ask you again."

Edna nodded, and waited patiently, reading the book in his satchel.

 

Cheesemaster adjusted his jacket, looking at the crowd, and wondered how he could get food without rudely pushing or shoving people; but he knew he would try.

He squeezed through person after person, apologzing whenever he felt he had bothered someone, until he found the area where the food was served, buffet-style. He surveyed the variety, took a mental note, and went back to Edna.

Edna looked up at him, smiled, and asked what there was to eat.

"Well, why don't you just come up with me? You could sit on my shoulders as I pick things out for you."

Edna, happy at this prospect, instantly said yes; and the two made their way across the crowded room to get food.

 

Edna climbed on top of his friend's shoulders, something he enjoyed doing, and Cheesemaster walked over to the buffet counter to show Edna what sort of food they had.

The two picked out assorted foods, both avoiding anything with cheese in it, and then headed back to their table.

The two got back to the table, where Kat was sitting on the top of their table, looking thoughtful.

 

"Hi, Kat!" Cheesemaster said. "Uh...why are you on top of our table?"

Kat blinked, and then gasped, falling off the table. A few people at tables nearby stopped their conversation and stared for a moment, before shrugging and ignoring her.

Cheesemaster put his food on the table, and kneeled down to look at the upside-down Kat.

"Sorry Cheese," Kat started, her fedora and monocle on the floor. "I was practicing my teleportation, and-well, I've got the disappearing part down, and the not-leaving-any-particles-behind part, and the not-accidentally-merging-with-a-fly part, but I can never seem to teleport to where I want to go."

Cheesemaster smiled at her, not knowing what to say to this, and helped Edna put his tray on the table.

"Well, maybe you can join us for our meal, Kat? We'd love to talk to you."

Kat stood up, and picked up her hat and monocle and put them back on. "Yea, I'd love to, though I'm not hungry."

 

Kat grabbed an empty seat from a nearby table and pulled it up to their table.

"So Kat, this is something I'm not sure if I asked or not, but-why do you wear a monocle? JUst for fashion?"

Kat tapped at the monocle. "First off, his name is Bruce."

Cheesemaster cleared his throat. "Sorry. So, well, why do you wear Bruce?"

Kat stared at him blankly.

"I mean-I wear glasses-let's name them Rick and Nick-because I'm horribly nearsighted-"

Kat lifted off Bruce and raised him towards Cheesemaster's face, and began speaking in a posh British accent. "Well, salutations, Rick & Nick! I never met a pair of twins before. I'm Bruce."

Kat pulled Bruce away and put it back on her face, and after a pause, Kat began speaking again.

"But really, I have an astigmatamatism in my eye-"

"Astigmatism," Cheesemaster said quietly. Kat ignored him.

"...And Bruce helps me with my astigmatism like Rick & Nick help you with your horrible nearsightedness."

 

Kat looked at her friend for a moment as he ate, and then snatched the specs off his face.

"Hey-!"

"How horrible is your nearsightedness anyway?" She put the glasses on her face, and her eyes shot wide open, and she handed the glasses back at him.

"DARN, your sight is terrible! There, I feel even sorrier for you now."

Cheesemaster stared at her, his face sullen, and sighed deeply as he breathed on the lenses and cleaned them with a handkerchief.

"Well, I have to go get into more shenanigans. See ya." And with that, she vanished.

 

Edna had finished his meal within the conversation, and Cheesemaster, rather perplexed, had barely been able to eat. He looked down at the still fairly full plate, and quickly began to eat it.

"I love talkin to Kat," Edna said quietly, and the two did not talk much for the rest of lunch.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

The boys went out on the deck to watch the sunset, with Cheesemaster reading a book and Edna exploring, hoping to find more children his age.

"Be careful," Cheesemaster said. "I don't want you falling in the ocean."

"I won't," Edna said. He carried his satchel with him, his cap inside so it wouldn't blow away. Despite it being very old and raggedy, he didn't want it to fall into the ocean-it was his favorite and only cap.

 

Edna walked about, his brown curly hair waving in the wind. He explored, saying hello to everyone he saw. Historic-looking folks he assumed were from Hindenburg, monsterous-looking folks he deduced were from Longdon, and then others who he thought might be from anywhere-probably just people from the Port.

He pretended to not be scared when he saw the Longdoners, despite many of them being almost as scary-looking as Dead Deep.

 

Edna was looking around, and the interesting things on the boat, out at the sea, the passengers, or birds and clouds, when he bumped into someone.

"Goodness-" He started, his hands in front of him. "I'm so sorry!"

A silence, and then came a monotonous child's voice-

"It's really alright. It's my fault."

Edna put his arms to his sides, and when he looked, he was staring at a boy his age. He had neatly combed, neatly parted raven-black hair, and an-all black suit comprising of a shirt, a dark grey ribbon bow tie, a black silk jacket with ceramic flower-shaped buttons, black short shorts, knee socks, and well-shined black shoes. Matching the outfit, his eyes were large and entirely black-not a single pupil in sight.

 

Edna took a step back.

 

The boy's mouth was a small, unmoving line, and his eyebrows (also black, of course) seemed permanently flat, uncurved, and resting just above his pupil-less eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked, his voice still monotone.

"N-No, I'm perfectly fine. I just didn't know there were any other kids aboard the ship."

"Well, there's me," The boy said.

Edna gulped. "Sorry, but I need to leave right now. My friend who I'm traveling with is probably wondering where I am."

Before he could say anything, Edna had sprinted off.

 

 

"Edna? What's wrong? You look like you saw a ghost."

"I saw a little boy, like I was hoping for, but he was so scary...he had...he had no pupils! His eyes were all black!"

Cheesemaster lifted his book down and looked at his friend curiously.

"A boy...with entirely black eyes?"

"And he spoke all weird, too. In monotone. Like a robot-like HAL-"

Cheesemaster sat up, and put the book back in his pocket.

"Strange," Cheesemmaster said. "Well, maybe you'll see him at dinner."

"Mr. Cheesemaster, please, I don't want to go off on my own on this ship anymore. I'm so scared."

Cheesemaster picked up Edna, putting him on his shoulders. "That's fine."

Edna sighed happily as the two went back into the dining room to eat dinner.

 

 

---------------------------------------

 

The rest of the trip passed with no more appearences from strange children or Kat, and the next day they were in Hamsterdam where they headed for the Airport that would take them to Taynio.

 

The airport was large, though not as busy as most airports. Invision was a small planet, and the planet had many means of transportation, including advanced forms imported from other planets by Invisionists.

Cheesemaster and Edna walked through the airport, the buzzing noise of chatter all around them. Edna held Cheesemaster's hand so he wouldn't get lost, and with his other hand Cheesemaster pulled their suitcase.

The two had already ordered tickets to Taynio beforehand, and they sat snugly in the inside pocket of Cheesemaster's brown coat. They read for the two to be seated at F4, and headed that way as multilingual broadcats were made over the intercoms.

 

Eventually the two found F4, a seating area for people leaving to Taynio; Cheesemaster found a seat, sat down, and put the case beside his seat. Edna sat down next to him.

"Let me rest for a little bit, and then, we can go look around if you want. We have about an hour until we have to leave."

Edna thought this sounded like fun, and so they rested for a little bit, and then went off to look around.

 

Their first stop was a periodical shop, selling magazines and newspapers from all over Invision, and all over the Universe. Edna looked around with great curiousty, seeing what was going on on other planets, but didn't seem to care about anything else in the shop. The two left without buying anything.

Next, they passed an area of restaurants and snack bars, and found an area with duty-free shopping; a perfume shop, a clothing store, a shoe store, and, to Edna's delight, a toy store. Edna didn't have a whole lot of toys, and getting some had never crossed their minds. So, the two decided to check out the shop.

A handful of other children were in the store, a few with parents.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, if you don't mind, I want to go look around by myself. Can you wait at the front?"

"I will. But don't grab too much stuff."

"I won't."

 

Edna ran off into the store. The front part of the shop had sale items and the cashier's desk, which was covered with cheap novelties for 30H$ (3US$) or less. Two big tables were at the front too, covered with giant playsets and enormous stuffed animals. In the back, there were aisles of toys, with kids running up and down them. The back wall of the store had even more toys.

Edna looked into the aisles to see what they had to offer. He skipped over the one with the fashion dolls and other girly toys, and the one with the more masculine toys-action figures didn't interest him. He finally found a board game aisle, which intrigued him-he loved board games, but they only had chess and checkers at home.

Nearly every game was from Earth-for some reason other planets had never really been interested in making their own games of any kind.

Edna passed games he had heard of-Monopoly, Life, Sorry, Clue, Candyland-and examined each closely, reading the back of their boxes.

Edna looked at every board game, and made a mental note of which ones he thought sounded best before going on into the stuffed animals aisle.

 

The stuffed animal aisle was a beautiful sight for the five-year-old; shelf after shelf of soft, cuddly animals and monsters. Edna ran down the aisle, and looked up at a shelf full of plush cats. He reached up at them, and pulled down a velvety calico cat, and squeezed it tightly. He put the toy back, and on another shelf, saw stack after stack of velve-skinned frog plushi es. The plushies were at the very top of the shelf, and no matter how he tried, Edna couldn't reach them with his own hands-even when he climbed the first shelf.

Edna looked around to make sure no children were nearby, and stood back, shut his eyes, and began to concentrate on the first plush he saw-a light green frog plush. Edna grunted, and soon, the plushie was floating in the air above him. He slowly brought it down, and examined the plushie closely. It was very squishy and soft, and most of all it was very cute.

 

"So you're a psychic?" Said a monotone voice, and Edna froze. He slowly turned his head, to see the same black-eyed boy standing next to him.

Edna stared at him, scared out of his wits. He hadn't heard the boy walk up to him. It was as if he teleported.

"W-where did you...How did you..."

"It's ok," The boy said. "I'm not here to hurt you or anything like that. I'm David. And you're Edna, right?"

Edna slowly nodded. He was enormously frightened.

"I'm sorry, D-david...But I hear my f-friend calling me." David said nothing, instead staying put, his arms behind his back. Edna ran away from David, the frog plush still in his hand, and ran to the front of ths store until he smacked into Cheesemaster.

 

"Edna? Are you alright?" He asked, concerned about Edna. "What happened?"

"I saw him again," Edna whimpered. "The little boy with the big, black eyes. He...he saw me using my powers, too. I didn't even hear him walk up to me."

Edna was trying hard not to cry, and Cheesemaster picked him up and held him. "It's alright. I'm here now. What did you find?"

Edna showed his friend the plush he had picked up.

 

"It's cute," Cheesemaster said, smiling. "Here, I'll get it for you-we have to board soon."

Edna wiped his eyes on his sleeve, and insisted on being held by his friend as he paid for the plushie.

"Alright, then," Cheesemaster said as they left the store, Edna cuddling the plush and squeezing it tightly. "Let's get our bags and get on the plane."

Edna said nothing.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

 

Cheesemaster grabbed the suitcase and, followed the line of people boarding the plane for Taynio. Edna walked next to Cheesemaster, the frog plush held under his arm.

The older of the two handed their passes to a man behind the counter, and were soon on the plane, awkwardly moving past people putting their suitcases in overhead compartments through the already small aisles.

Cheesemaster constantly had to look back at their passes to see what seats they were in, and to make sure some horrid mistake hadn't seperated the two. Luckily, nothing had, and they sat together-with Edna at the window seat.

"Here we are," Cheesemaster said, and Edna scooted over to his seat by the window, which looked out onto the concrete landing area of the airport and a wing of the aircraft. Cheesemaster put their suitcase into a compartment, and then sat down with his friend and pulled out a book to read.

 

"How long will the trip be, anyway?" Edna asked.

Cheesemaster thought for a moment. "I'm not sure," He said. "The island is just straight up in the sky, but this is an airplane, not a rocket, so it will take longer than needed to get there. Maybe three hours or two. Either way, you brought a book, right?"

Edna shook his head. "We still haven't gone to the bookstore yet to buy books for me."

"Remind me to do that when i get home-unless there's a good bookstore in Taynio, then we can buy some there. Well, I guess you could listen to the in-flight radio..."

"I can't explore, can I?"

Cheesemaster shook his head. "Nope."

Edna sighed sadly. "But I can play with my new toy."

"That's right!" Cheesemaster said excitedly. "And if you want me to, I'll talk to you."

"That's ok. I want you to be able to read."

Cheesemaster sighed, and sat back in his chair, smiling warmly, but said nothing.

 

It took Edna a moment to figure out the seat buckles, but he managed to get it by himself just as the same tired announcements all airplane passengers must go through detailing safety. Cheesemaster continued reading through the spiel, though Edna listened carefully. When it was done, he waited for the plane to take off-he was very excited for it-and had a false sense of excitement when the plane started rolling.

Edna was about to fall asleep when the plane suddenly was in the air; Edna looked out his window and saw the plane lift off the ground as the runway and airport got smaller and smaller until eventually all of Hamsterdam was just a mass of skyscrapers through the window, and eventually was nothing more than a a big blotch on an island in a blue ocean.

He sat back in his chair, squeezing his frog plush, and spent much of the trip looking out the window of the plane, until he fell asleep.

 

Well, he didn't sleep that long though.

"Edna. Edna? Are you up?"

Edna sleepily opened his eyes to see Cheesemaster, with the folding tray down, his book on top of it, and a flight attendant next to him.

Edna rubbed his eyes. "Yea, what?"

"They're handing out drinks and pretzels. What drink do you want?"

"Do they have any tea?"

Cheesemaster shook his head.

"Juice?"

"Apple, grape, and orange," The attendant said.

"Some orange juice, please," Edna said.

"I'll have a soda."

He specified his soda of choice, no ice please, and the attendant handed the boys two packs of pretzels, two plastic cups, two napkins advertising the airline, and a small bottle of juice and a soda can. Cheesemaster opted for both of them to forgo the cups and drink straight from the containers, so no messes were caused.

 

"The view out the window is so nice," Edna said after drinking some juice. He looked out again, and Cheesemaster leaned over to see what he was looking at.

Below them, there was the vast blue ocean between the island where Hamsterdam was, and the Ahshirt island. You could see some of the Adstar islands, with their curious star shapes and purple vegetation, and a few boats and flying machines as well.

"Do you think Mr. Leguan is in one of those flying things now?" Edna wondered.

"Maybe," Cheesemaster said.

"Earlier, when you could see land, everything was...it was in biiiig squares. I don't know what, but it filled me with a feeling. I think it was a feeling of mysteriousness or adventure."

Cheesemaster smiled at his friend, who still held the squishy frog plush. He squeezed it tight, annd sighed into its velvety body. Edna slowly drank his juice and ate his pretzels, and eventually fell asleep again as Cheesemaster got back to reading.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

"Come on, Edna-we're here!"

Edna's eyes shot open. "We are?!"

Cheesemaster nodded. Edna looked around, and saw that indeed, people were getting out of their seats, grabbing their bags out of the compartments, and leaving the plane. Cheesemaster already had their suitcase down.

"Here. I'll carry you until we get inside."

Edna didn't object to this, and made sure he had his plushie with him before he left.

 

Cheesemaster wheeled off the plane, with the flight attendants wishing him a good trip, and he walked into the Taynio Air & Space Port, which, like most buildings on Taynio, was quaint and modest. It was small, contained few shops or restaurants, and had no advertisements in it. The main feature was a 'Welcome to Taynio!' signboard right over the exit.

Cheesemaster put Edna on the ground, and the boy stretched (frog still in hand), ready to go meet new people and see new things. Cheesemaster adjusted his lapels.

"You seem really nervous, Mr. Cheesemaster. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mostly. I always feel awkward with Taynio-he lives in a church (though now it's a church and school), and he's very devout."

"And you're an Atheist," Edna said as they began walking.

"Mmhmm," Cheesemaster mumbled. "But Taynio's a good friend of mine, ah-a good man all around. He's an alchemist, you know-he studies it with Lexxscrapham...that's his best friend, and a philosopher. And he taught what he knows to the Anon Brothers. You'll like the Anon Brothers."

"Are they my age?" Edna asked, looking up at his friend.

Cheesemaster shook his head. "No, they're about 12 or 13. Somewhere among those lines. Taynio raised them both."

Edna listened to everything intently.

"They're orphans,"

"I guessed." Edna responded.

Cheesemaster was silent for a moment, as they reached the doors that led to the Taynio itself. "Taynio is an orphan, too. Seems a lot of Invisionists are."

Cheesemaster pushed open the door without another word, and Edna stared at his friend a little longer, and then followed him.

 

Taynio was a lovely place to behold-the plants seemed to have a mystical quality to them, with the regular green grass blending with light pink grass and purple grass. Most of Taynio was wild land, so when viewed from the air, you saw lots of green, pinks, purples, and whatever other colors grew elsewhere on the island. It was a treasure trove for anyone looking for a place to explore.

Because the man Taynio was allowed by Hamsterking and Stewart to do whatever he wanted with the island, he chose to build a small town on one part, and insisted on leaving the rest of the island wild and unexplored. There were still parts of the island no one had been to yet, a factoid that sent shivers of excitement down Edna's spine.

The 'Port was just a little ways away from the town, which was made up of equally-sized buildings and one huge building (The church/school, they both presumed).

 

The town, which had no real name, was always full of happy life. Citizens of the town talked happily amongst each other. The city on Taynio was generally regarded as a mini-Utopia, of sorts; everyone in the town was kind to each other, and respected each other. There weren't any shops, either; Taynio grew nearly all the food for the townsfolk, and water came naturally from parts of the surrounding areas.

Everyone in the town said Hello to the boys, and they both said Hello back, walking until they were on the campus of the new Taynio University-a free all-grades school for Taynians.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, are there any schools in our city?"

"Just an elementary school," He said.

Edna said nothing for a moment, and then gasped. "I'm five! I'll be going into school this Fall!"

"That's right!" Cheesemaster said excitedly. "But we'll discuss that later. Come on," And he kept walking up to the building.

"Do you think we could leave our suitcase somewhere?" Edna said. "Carrying it seems tiring."

"It is," Cheesemaster said. "We'll be staying in an unused dorm room in the University for our stay."

 

"I could take your bag for you," Said a voice. Cheesemaster turned around to find a boy younger than him-a brunette with a striped red & orange polo, denim shorts, shoes and white socks with a stripe.

"Blaze! It's you! Is it?"

Blaze nodded. "It's me, trust me."

The two hugged, and then Cheesemaster looked around. "Where's your brother? I rarely see you two apart."

"He's actually up preparing a dorm room for you two. It's near ours. Come on-I'll show you there. Let me take your suitcase."

 

Cheesemaster let go of the suitcase, and Blaze grabbed it and went on ahead.

"So, who's your little friend there?" Blaze asked, talking about Edna.

"C.C. Edna," Cheesemaster explained, "He's five years old and an orphan from a drawing world. I adopted him."

"Heh," Blaze said, "That's like us and Taynio, then."

"Us?" Edna asked.

"He means him and his brother, Brian."

Edna mouted 'Oh'.

 

Cheesemaster jogged ahead so he was walking next to his friend, but not before picking Edna up so he could feel like a part of the conversation.

"So, Cheese, I haven't seen you in a while. Besides adoption, what else has happened? I'm afraid we don't get much news here. Taynio says news can be bad for your soul."

"Well, I got a job as a paperboy," Cheesemaster quipped. "Cheese woman talked me into that job. But strangely, I like it. Not too long ago there were monsters appearing in Hamsterdam that Mushroom_king, and four of her friends, helped defeat. Turns out on their home planet, Dreamtopia, they helped defeat monsters like that a lot. It was crazy, and a really popular news item for a long time."

Blaze listened to this, and other stories of recent happenings up until Blaze stopped in a dorm room.

"Here's the spare room you and Edna-is that ok if I call him that?-Ok, that's good. Anyway, this is where you and Edna will be staying."

 

Blaze was about to open the door when it flew open in front of him. Edna looked, and swore the door had flung open to a mirror.

The one who swung open the door looked exactly like Blaze; the same height, and the same build, the same brown hair and even the very same striped shirts, denim shorts, shoes, and white socks with a stripe.

"Alright, Blaze!" The boy shouted. "The room's done!"

Blaze stood there, motioning towards Cheesemaster and Edna, the latter of which was completely shocked-the sight of two people who looked so alike was very strange to him.

The Blaze look-alike folded his arms, cocked his head, and stared at Edna.

 

"Who's your friend?"

"This is C.C. Edna, Brian. My friend-I adopted him."

"I see," Brian said. "What's his problem? He sure looks scared."

Edna was still being held by Cheesemaster, and he looked at him. Edna did look rather scared.

"I think he's in shock. Edna, this is Blaze & Brian Anon. The Anon Brothers."

Edna said nothing. "I...don't know who's the clone and who's the original."

"Clones?" One said. They looked at each other, and shook their heads in unison. "No."

"I'm Blaze Anon," Blaze said,

"and I'm Brian Anon." Brian said.

Finally, Blaze & Brian said in unison "We're not clones. We're twins."

[Mushroom_king]

"Twins...?" Edna said, looking at them with awe as well as fear now. "Let me see. Take me closer."

Cheesemaster did so, and Edna looked at the brothers.

 

Every aspect of them was alike-they even styled their hair alike, so telling them apart was nearly impossible. They had made the effort to shave and wash their faces so you couldn't even use the pattern of hair or acne to tell them apart.

"That's amazing," Edna said. "People can really do that."

Brian put his arm around Blaze. "It really is amazing."

"Twins are like a wonder of the world or something," Blaze added.

"It really is incredible," Cheesemaster said. "Later, if you remind me, I'll tell you about how it happens. For now, let's get settled in."

 

Cheesemaster grabbed their suitcase and walked in, and set Edna down.

The dorm was nice; it had a carpeted floor, a dresser, a closet, a bathroom, and two beds. The white walls were completely bare.

The twins walked in as Cheesemaster was unpacking the few things they had taken and Edna claimed a bed via setting his frog plush on it.

"So, Cheese," One twin said, "Come here."

"Let's see if you can tell us apart this time," Said the other one.

"If you do, we'll buy you both dinner." Replied the first.

"But if you're wrong, you gotta buy dinner."

 

Cheesemaster smiled, and walked over to the twins. It's already been stated they kept their faces spotless and their hair was done in the same style, so both of those were ruled out. Cheesemaster stood and looked the twins up and down.

He stared at the ground for a long time, and then their feet for a long time; and then he smiled.

 

"You're Blaze," He said, pointing at the right one, "And you're Brian." he said, pointing to the left one.

Blaze & Brian looked at each other, then at Cheesemaster.

"...How did you know?!" They said in unison.

"Your socks are the only thing that's different," He said. "Blaze has a blue stripe. Brian has a green stripe."

The twins said 'Ohhh,' in unison, their heads moving up and then down in unison as they said it, and then they laughed together.

 

"I see," Said Blaze.

"You're observant as ever," Brian added.

"How'd you get so smart?" Blaze wondered.

"Reading all the time, Blaze," Brian heaved.

"I see," said Blaze.

And the two laughed again. Their laughter, like their voices, sounded exactly alike. You'd almost swear they breathed in unison.

 

"How do they do that?" Edna asked.

"Do what?" Cheesemaster asked back.

"Their...their banter. It's kind of like just one person talking. How do they do that?"

"I wouldn't have a clue, Edna; but they're the only identical twins I know, so I guess it's some kind of twin thing."

Edna shrugged, and said "I'll bet having a twin is fun."

 

Edna stepped forward, cleared his throat, and asked them: "Is being a twin fun?"

Blaze & Brian kneeled down together, and looked at Edna. Edna swallowed, and rephrased his question.

"What's it like being a twin?"

"What's it like not being one?" They asked in unison.

Edna thought for a moment. "Uh...lonely. I don't have any siblings."

"Neither do I," Cheesemaster added.

"We fight a lot," Brian quipped.

"Mostly over age," Blaze sighed.

"That's because we tend to like the same stuff," Brian said.

"So we don't argue over what stuff we like." Blaze finished.

 

Edna found the two more and more interesting, so he kept asking them questions.

"So have you two ever switched places with each other? Like if Taynio asked for Blaze, would Brian go instead?" Edna asked.

"Have we ever!" Brian shouted.

"We've done that more times than you could count," Blaze added.

"It's mostly because we get into a trouble a lot," Brian started,

"-But we've never gotten into trouble at the same time," Blaze ended.

"Sometimes we switch classes," Brian said. "That's pretty fun."

"As a result, we know each other's schedules by heart." Blaze said, smiling.

 

Edna gazed at both of them in wonder.

"Blaze's schedule is Alchemy, Algebra, Earth Science & Honors English today, and tomorrow it's Alchemy, Religion, Universal History, & Exploration (that's a class where you learn to explore, how neat!)," Recited Brian.

"Brian's schedule is Alchemy (we have it together), Geometry, Languages of Earth, & Shop today, and tomorrow it's Alchemy, Religion (first two classes together!), English, & Biology," Recited Blaze.

"That's incredible!" Edna shouted.

The twins shrugged. "We guess," They said.

Blaze shook his head for no apparent reason. "We got to skip today so we could help you," He said happily.

"Are you gonna attend any of the classes while you're here?" Brian asked. "They're really small classes, so I'm sure you could attend one or two."

Cheesemaster shook his head. "I don't know yet," He said, "Besides-I think I should rest. I'm so tired."

"Not me," Edna whined. "I slept most of the way here."

"Alright, then. Can I rest here while you explore?"

Edna nodded excitedly.

"Blaze, Brian, keep an eye on him," Cheesemaster said to the twins when Edna was out of earshot. "He means a lot to me. Don't let him get hurt."

"You got it!" They said in unison.

"Alright, then; so I'll see you later, Edna?"

"I'll see you later, Mr. Cheesemaster."

 

Edna ran out of the room, followed by the twins. Edna bounded down the hallway, and then stopped, not sure where to go.

"Mr. Anon," Edna said, referring to them as one person, "Where do you think we should go?"

The twins stopped, standing over Edna on either side of the boy.

"Well, this school is fairly big," Said Brian.

"Well, what kinds of rooms are there?"

"Mostly classrooms, we guess." Blaze quipped. "They aren't very interesting."

"Where else?" Edna asked.

"You could visit Taynio, if he isnt' too busy." Brian said.

"He should be in the chapel," Blaze added.

"This way," They both said, and walked off. Edna quickly followed them.

 

They were quiet for some time; Edna was too busy watching them to say anything.

The two of them walked the same, even; their arms folded, their faces unmoving, their legs moving in time with each other. It was as if Edna was seeing double; he shouldn't be blamed for thinking they were clones.

"You two even walk in unison," Edna whispered, and they both stopped and looked around at him at the same time.

"What?" They asked, and Edna looked up.

"I said, you even walk the same way."

The twins looked at him for a moment, their plain, bored expressions similar. They looked at each other, and then began walking. "Yea, we guess so."

Edna followed again, watching them curiously. He could have watched them all day, and not have been any less amazed.

"What about breathing?" He asked.

"What about breathing?" They repeated.

"Do you...do you breathe in unison, too?"

 

The twins stared at him. "If we do," Blaze started, "Then we don't plan it." He finished himself. They continued walking.

"So interesting," Edna murmured as quietly as he could, and continued following them.

 

"Here we are," Brian said as they stopped in front of a door in the seemingly endless hallway.

"This is the chapel," Blaze said. "Taynio ought to be here."

Edna was excited, and Blaze turned the brass knob of the door and pushed it open.

"Oldest first," Brian said, gently pushing his brother out of the way. Blaze scowled, but went behind him anyway, followed by Edna.

 

The chapel was quite spacious, and Edna looked around; at the very end of the chapel sat a man, Taynio, reading his Bible on a pew.

"Taynio! Taynio, it's us!" The twins shouted.

"And we have a friend," Brian said.

"A little boy."

"His name is Edna."

Taynio said nothing, but slowly closed his book and and stood up, walking over to the trio.

"Here he is," The twins said, and Brian picked him up.

"You like being held, right?" Brian asked.

Edna nodded.

"Alright, then, we'll try and hold you as much as we can."

Taynio was standing up now, and facing the twins; he looked at Edna with somber eyes, and Edna stared back.

"Edna, is it?" Taynio said. His voice was deep and slow. Edna nodded.

 

"I'm Edna, that's right," Edna said.

"I see. I'm Taynio."

"Nice to meet you, Taynio," Edna said, and smiled a little bit. He felt as though he should be tense in this sitation, like he really was in church.

"This is a nice chapel. I've never been to a real church before. I've only been to real tiny services. They had those at my orphanage where I had to live," Edna started, and then stopped as the other three pairs of eyes stared at him.

 

"Go on...?" Blaze said.

"That's about it, really. Who all goes to this college? Is it a college?"

"A college for all ages," Taynio said quietly. Everything he said seemed quiet. "A number of teenagers go here. But Blaze & Brian are rather young to be attending, so I have to teach special 6th-grade level classes for them."

Edna said nothing.

 

"Well, I think you should keep exploring the building," Taynio suggested. "Later on...do you want to join me for dinner?"

Edna looked up at the twins. "But they-"

"Never mind what they promised," Taynio said. "I doubt they even have the money to buy you and your friend Dinner, anyhow."

"Buy? But I thought there was no use of money here?"

"You can if you want," Blaze said.

"Like if someone wanted to go to a place other than Taynio." Brian said.

"They would need the money," Blaze finished.

"I see," Edna said quietly.

 

"Blaze, Brian, take Edna anywhere he'd like to go around the building. You can fetch his friend and take them to the dining hall at the regular time."

"You got it," The twins said, and Edna, getting up and stretching, was carried again this time. He wasn't sure which twin carried him, but either way they held him the same.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

Old books are always the best, Cheesemaster thought, burying his face into the one he was reading, and took a sniff of the pages.

Old books always had that musty smell, and those graying or yellowing pages.

I wonder when Edna will be back, He wondered to himself, and looked about the room for no real reason.

"Well, I'm sure he's having fun exploring," He said to the empty room. He stretched on the bed, and began reading.

 

 

Edna walked down yet another hallway with the Anon Brothers.

"Who else lives here?" Edna asked them, as he was carried by one.

One twin, the one not carrying him, thought intently.

"Lexxscrapham, though he disappears a lot," Blaze said.

"Jesusfreak, she's a college student."

"Dream, she's an elf or something."

"And Taynio. You met him."

Edna nodded.

"There's probably some other people we're forgetting, too. But those are the ones we see the most."

"Brian, we never see Lexxscrapham."

"Yea, but you meet him once and you never forget."

"That's true," Both twins said.

Edna giggled a little bit.

"Do you think my friend is up? Mr. Cheesemaster?"

"We don't know. It's been months since we last saw him," They said in unison.

"Why, did you want to check on him?"

Edna shrugged.

 

"What time is it?" He asked the twins, and they stopped and thought for a moment.

"Did either of us wear a watch today?" Blaze asked.

"No, I'd remember," Edna quipped. "It'd be easy to tel you apart if one of you was."

Brian thought. "Dunno. But school's been out for a while, so maybe it's 5-6 ish."

"I see," Edna said. "Mr. Cheesemaster never naps for very long, so he might be up by now reading or something."

"I see," Brian said. "Let's go see how he is, then, and then after that we should go get dinner."

 

----------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster had not been keeping track of the time when he heard a knock at the door; his mind, which for what seemed like hours had been in the world of the book he was reading, suddenly and intrudingly snapped back to reality.

"Edna must be back," He thought.

He sighed, and lurched up from the bed, putting the book aside, and walked over to the door, and opened it to reveal a wide-eyed Edna being held by one of the Anon Brothers.

 

"He insisted we come back and check on you," The one not carrying him said. "Taynio's invited us to dinner."

"I see," Cheesemaster said quietly, stretching and then yawning. "Sounds good. Sorry, I spent all my time after napping reading. I'm a little sleepy, but not so much I can't eat. What sorts of things do you eat up here?"

"Mostly stuff from the forests around the school and town," Blaze quipped. He was the one not carrying Edna. "So lots of greens and fruits and stuff."

 

Cheesemaster sighed. It wasn't particularly what he liked eating, but he wouldn't say so.

"Ah, it sounds good enough to me. As long as I get to eat."

The twins nodded, and Edna giggled.

Cheesemaster told the twins and Edna he would be ready in a moment, and then brushed his hair and got his jacket & cap on, and soon was walking down the expansive hallways of the School, as the twins led them to the dining hall.

 

Blaze & Brian Anon, walking to the exact same rhythm, and occasionally making small talk amongst the two of them, led Cheesemaster and Edna (who walked hand-in-hand for a change), through hallway after hallway, opening and closing doors until they found one that said "Dining Hall" on it.

 

"Here it is," They said in Unison, and Blaze grabbed the handle, only to have Brian shove him away and open it himself. Blaze shoved his brother back, and the two ended the quarrel before it could begin and led their guests into the school's dining hall.

 

The room, like most school's dining halls, was enormous and filled with long, rectangular tables; a few round tables were here and there, and large armchairs and plastic armchairs (which, to all four of them, looking horribly uncomfortable). In the back was where food was gotten, with a kitchen.

 

"This way," Said the twins. They led the boys to the end of the room, to a smaller rectangular table, where Taynio and two young women already sat.

 

Blaze & Brian sat next to each other across from Taynio, and Cheesemaster, looking at the table, sat on the end with Edna caddy-corner from him.

"Nice to have you join us," Taynio said to Cheesemaster. "It's been a long time since I saw you last."

Cheesemaster smiled and nodded.

 

On either side of Taynio was a girl, both of which were students at the school. The girl on his left was youthful looking, with a snug blue sweatshirt, large glasses, and brown hair pulled back with a pink headband. She was smiling, but looked bored. On his right was an older-looking girl, with sad eyes, long silvery hair, and a flowing white dress with oversized sleeves.

"Edna," Taynio said quietly, "These are two other students of mine, Jesusfreak & Dream."

"Those are weird names," Edna said.

"Edna," Cheesemaster hissed, and Edna whispered "Sorry."

 

"I don't like my name much either," Jesusfreak said, rolling her eyes. Dream said nothing. "But I'm a pretty nice person. Contrary to my name, I'm not much of a freak."

Edna smiled. "How nice to meet you. And I am Edna."

Dream still didn't say anything, but she did get up and walk over to the Anon Twins, and hugged them both, shoving each of their heads into her breasts.

 

"Hi, Dream," They both said. She didn't say anything.

"Dream doesn't talk much," Taynio said. "She's a good student, though. All my students are good students."

Cheesemaster nodded. "I'll believe so. Oh, by the way-is there any way I could call my friend back home and see how she is doing?"

"Mushroom?" Edna said hopefully.

Cheesemaster glared at him. "No, I wanted to call Dawn, and make sure she's OK without me for a little while."

"I see," Edna said.

 

"Who's Dawn?" Jesusfreak asked, and Taynio looked at him as if he wanted to ask as well.

"Dawn Rabbitt. My friend at the Port of Cheese," He said.

"I see," Taynio said quietly. "There's enough food here for all of us. I'm afraid me and these young women have already eaten, though."

Jesusfreak got up, and Dream looked very sadly at everyone.

"I have to study," Jesusfreak said, and she looked at Cheesemaster. "I'm usually pretty busy, but while you're here, you can come and see me." She waved, and walked off.

 

Dream squeezed the Anon Brothers, separately this time, and then gave a choking hug to Cheesemaster before leaving. She left in such a way that you didn't really see her leave; she seemed, rather, to dissapate away from the room, to simply just vanish.

 

"I am not sure exactly what Dream is," Taynio confessed. "I thought at first she was an elf, but she has some very odd qualities. I think perhaps she is a spirit of some sort."

Cheesemaster said nothing.

"Here," Taynio said, quietly and smoothly, pushing his food towards his guests. "These are fruits from the forests on this island."

Cheesemaster took a plate full of chopped-up as well as raw fruits, and examined them. They were different from the Earth fruits he knew, but seemed fairly familiar despite having never seen them before.

 

He took one that looked harmless enough and bit into it. It tasted sweet, though it had a strange texture, and he had a hard time swallowing it.

He pushed it towards Edna afterwards, and he tried to taste it.

"Too sweet," Edna quipped, and Taynio said nothing.

"I understand," Taynio said quietly, and Edna put the fruit back down and picked up a different one, which was colored black.

"You don't talk much, Mr. Taynio," Edna said, and then he took a bite out of the black fruit. "This one tastes a lot better. Try it, Mr. Cheesemaster."

Cheesemaster took the fruit from his friend, and took a bite out of it. This black fruit tastes familiar, the flavor seeming to be reminsecent of apples & blueberries, and yet totally foreign at the same time. It did taste pretty good, but he put it back.

 

"What else have you got, Taynio?" Cheesemaster asked his friend, and Taynio looked at him, his expression blank.

"Not much," Taynio said. "I'm afraid not very many of us are cooks."

"I can cook," Cheesemaster said happily, but looked at the fruit, his expression unsure. "Though I wouldn't know any recipes for these, seeing as I've never seen or tasted them before save for the two I just tried. I could make salad, but I don't like salad-and neither does Edna."

Taynio slowly leaned back into his chair, and continued looking at them. Edna felt that the man gave an aura of power, yet he wasn't threatening at the same time.

 

"That'd be good. I usually just eat these raw fruits here. Most of the animals in the woods aren't edible, or if they are they don't taste so good. So we usually don't get to eat meat up here."

"I see," Cheesemaster said a little sadly. "That's too bad. Meat's my favorite thing to eat. What about...hmm, rice? I like that, too."

Taynio thought for a moment.

 

"Well, growing things up here can be difficult. But I could see what I can do."

"I don't want to cause any trouble," Cheesemaster said, shaking his head.

"It isn't. I want you to be comfortable here. I understand you don't get to go on trips like this much anymore, do you?"

Cheesemaster and Edna both shook their heads. "We work a lot. We can usually only be away for maybe three days at a time."

"I see. Honestly, it's not a problem."

Cheesemaster said nothing. The twins, who had said nothing for some time, looked over at him.

"It really isn't," Blaze said. "A problem, I mean. But if you say so, I guess you could just eat raw fruits for your entire stay. If you wanted that."

 

Cheesemaster sighed. "I don't know. But if that's the case, I'm not sure I mind. Anyhow..."

"There's really quite a bit to do around the village at night, Brian suggested.

"Like what?" Cheesemaster asked, "I'm not a nightlife person. I usually prefer to stay home. I'm afraid to say I'm not always as sociable as I ought to be."

"That's alright," Taynio said, "Neither am I, to be fairly honest. Most of the students here aren't."

Cheesemaster said nothing. "So what is there to do?"

"You could explore," Taynio suggested, and Edna spoke up.

 

"Could we explore the jungle?" Edna asked, and with that, the twins and Taynio stared at him.

"Of course not," Taynio said, sternly, and for the first time his voice began to raise. "Of course you can't. It's dangerous. Nobody really knows what's in it. We've explored the edge of it where the fruits grow and some animals live, but other than that, I've never been in there, and nobody has, and nobody will."

 

Edna stared at him, and shook his head, his curls shaking. "But how do you know it's so dangerous, if nobody's been there before?"

Taynio sighed deeply. "Listen. If anybody would be qualified to explore it and find out what's in it, then it wouldn't be a five-year old, or even a man as myself. Someone very experienced would have to go into it."

Edna moaned. "Fine," He said, and took another fruit and ate it. "I understand. Can we ate least explore the little parts, though? Where the fruit is. Picking food is fun."

 

Taynio looked at him with his narrow eyes. "I guess so. But not tonight. Perhaps tomorrow?"

Edna nodded, and after eating a little more, everyone went to bed, save for Taynio, who studied some more in the chapel.

[Mushroom_king]

The next morning, Cheesemaster and Edna woke up, around the time Taynio told them that breakfast would be served. The two showered and dressed quickly, and ran down into the cafeteria where the University students were already preparing for their day. Many of them sat with breakfasts slowly eaten, and books or papers busily being worked on.

 

Cheesemaster looked around, and suddenly gasped happily.

"What is it?" Edna quipped, looking up. Cheesemaster's eyes sparkled.

"They have bacon," He said gleefully. "Come on!" He said, clutching Edna's hand and running, and found himself just short of bumping into the Anon brothers.

 

"I see you're up," said one (Blaze).

"And you seem excited," quipped Brian.

"I am," Cheesemaster said, and he laughed heartily. "Is there still bacon?"

"Of course there is," The twins said in unison.

"Capital," Cheesemaster said. "What else, besides that? After all, as much as I'd like to, I can't live on bacon alone."

"Regular type stuff," Blaze said. "Pancakes. Eggs. Stuff."

"Cereal?" Edna asked.

The twins nodded.

"Alright, that's good enough for me, then."

 

The two got their food, and after eating it, the twins told them that Taynio wanted to see them; the two led them to where Taynio was, which was in a classroom by himself.

"Taynio has plans for you two," The twins said, and Blaze self-responded with "We'll spoil it for you-he wants to take Edna's suggestion and go into the Jungle's Edge."

"That's where it's safe," Explained Brian.

"Really?!" Edna said, excitedly. "How awesome! Thank you!"

"Don't thank us," Blaze and Brian said. "Thank him when you see him."

"I sure will," Edna said, and bounding and jumped through the halls, only stopping because he didn't know where to go and needed the twins to show him.

 

"I'm so excited, Edna said, looking up at Cheesemaster. The older of the two looked down at him and smiled.

"I am, too," Cheesemaster said, and lifted Edna up into the air, spinning around a bit. Edna laughed a bit, and Cheesemaster stopped, dizzy, laughing himself.

 

The twin stopped and looked back at the two of them, who had stopped walking and were laughing uncontrollably, over practically nothing.

"What're you two doing?" Brian asked, seeming concerned. Blaze looked curious.

"I'm so sorry," Cheesemaster said between giggles.

Blaze looked and Brian, confused.

"What is Edna to you?" Brian asked.

 

Cheesemaster sighed happily and heavily, and picked up Edna.

"Because...I mean, to us, he seems like your...your son." Brian quipped.

Cheesemaster walked to them. "Edna is my friend."

Blaze and Brian folded their arms, looked at each other, and shrugged. They kept walking, with a single "Well, whatever."

 

Cheesemaster grinned at his young friends, and Edna wrapped his short, skinny arms around Cheesemaster's neck.

 

"This building is so complicated," Edna shouted to the twins. "How do you know where Taynio is?"

"We just know," The twins said proudly, "After all, we live here."

Edna sighed.

"Here we are!" The twins proclaimed loudly, standing on either side of the door, creating near-perfect symmetry. Brian tried the doorknob, found it unlocked, and went inside.

The twins went in first, followed by a cautious Cheesemaster and Edna.

 

Taynio was sitting in an empty classroom, reading to himself out of his Bible. The same crumpled dollar was sitting next to his book. He didn't raise his head from the pages when he heard the door creak open, nor when the four's footsteps came across the paneled floor. The twins placed a hand on either side of Taynio's shoulders, which made him stop reading, but his head didn't move until Brian quietly said, "Our guests are up," And Taynio, lifting his head and staring off into space, didn't need more explanation.

 

Taynio placed the dollar inside his Bible, and got up quickly and silently as ever.

"I see. Well, I assume Blaze & Brian already told you my plans for the day?"

Edna nodded excitedly. "Uh-Huh, they told us. I'm so excited! I can barely stand it."

Taynio smiled shyly. "That's good. I was hoping you would like it."

"I'm looking forward to it, as well-" Cheesemaster said, and then frowned. "But I should call home first, if I can. I wanted to check on Dawn and Cheese Woman."

 

Taynio nodded. "I see. Well, we have some phones in the University, as well as in the town. I'll be coming with you today, of course, to make sure you stay safe-as well as out of trouble. I wanted to have the twins escort you, but I have nothing else planned for the day-and they can be irresponsible."

The twins looked at each other, and shrugged.

"This way," Taynio said, placing his Bible deep in his shirt pocket.

 

The twins followed Taynio as he walked out, and Cheesemaster, looking at Edna, followed them close behind.

 

Once again, the group moved down the lengthy hallways of the University, which Taynio and the Anon Brothers didn't mind so much, as they all lived there, but Cheesemaster wasn't particularly used to it, and Edna, being young, couldn't walk much without getting tired.

 

But, eventually, they reached the front of the University, where few students walked, as classes were going to start soon; Taynio led the group down into the town, where a few people said hello to the two foreigners. The town didn't get many visitors from the planet below, at least not ones who spent much time in the town.

 

"There's a few phones over there," Taynio said, pointing them out, "You don't have to pay for them."

"Thank you," Cheesemaster said, and Edna trailed behind him as he went to call home.

 

Cheesemaster first dialed his home phone, to see if Cheese Woman was at his house; it rang for a few moments, with no answer.

"I'll try her house, then," He murmured, and after a few rings, he left a message for her.

"Her cell phone," He said again, getting a little desperate. What if something bad had happened?

Luckily, after more tones than usual, Cheese Woman picked up.

 

"Hello?" Cheese Woman said.

"Hello?" Cheesemaster responded. There was a silence.

"Who is this?" Cheese Woman asked.

"It's me-Cheesemaster," He said, and was about to say something, but was interrupted by the girl before he could.

 

"Cheesie!! I'm so glad you called!! I miss you already!! I've been selling your papers since you left yesterday. The money is in your kitchen, OK? I've also been cleaning your house."

Cheesemaster looked at the ground as she gushed, blushing. "That's so wonderful. You be sure to keep a little bit of money for yourself, alright?"

Cheese Woman sighed. "Cheesie, I don't like having to disguise myself as you," She said, straying away from the subject of money.

Cheesemaster paused. "Why not?" He said, sounding a little offended, though he wasn't sure why.

"I have to curl my hair for the disguise.-I'm not very used to it."

"I don't really get how it would be different."

"And I have to wear fake glasses...I don't know how you deal with that. They always slide off my face. I'd tell you to get lenses or something, but you look so wonderful with them on. And you look so cute when they slide down your nose."

"If you say so," Cheesemaster said, uncomfortably. "By the way-I wanted to get in touch with Dawn. Does the Rabbitt Manor have a phone?"

"I don't think so," Cheese Woman said, after some thinking. "I could check, but you must be calling from a pay phone, right?"

"Without the 'pay', yes. Well, tell her to call me as soon as she can. I don't have a cell phone, so you won't be able to call me unless there's another phone nearby. Taynio doesn't have one, either. Although-"

 

Cheesemaster looked over at the Anon Brothers, who were talking to each other while Taynio read.

"Edna, do you think you could talk to her while I ask the twins something?"

"Sure thing!"

"Thank you. I'll be right back."

 

Edna barely picked up the receiver, but he managed to hold it up to the side of his face and said "Hello, Ms. Cheese Woman! This is Edna!"

"Edna!! Nice to talk to you!! Are you having fun?" Cheese Woman was at first disappointed that she wasn't able to talk to Cheesemaster, but she loved Edna a lot (not as much as Cheesemaster, however) and enjoyed talking to children in general.

"Today, we're going to a rainforest! We're gonna pick fruit! Maybe I'll bring you back some."

"That'd be wonderful," Cheese Woman said.

"Tell Sterling & Rick I said hello if you see them, ok?"

"OK."

"Thank you," Edna said, as politely as he could. "Here, Mr. Cheesemaster is back."

 

Edna handed the receiver back up to his friend, and an exchange of Thanks was done.

"The Anon twins have phones of their own. They agreed that you can call me on one of their phones later, if you can get a hold of Dawn."

Cheesemaster told Cheese Woman the numbers, which she wrote down after stopping him to grab some paper and a pencil.

"Did you get them?" He asked, and she answered positively.

"Alright. Well, I really need to get going. Give everyone my regards, especially Dawn and, if you see them, Arkcher and Mushroom. Goodbye."

A lot sadly, Cheese Woman said Goodbye, and they hung up. Cheesemaster picked up Edna and carried him back over to the other three.

 

"'Bout time," Blaze muttered.

"Shut up, Brian. You'd take a long time if you were talking to your girlfriend, too."

Cheesemaster frowned. "She's not my girlfriend. I don't even have one, and I never have. She is in love with me, though-horribly infautuated with me. But that can be told later. Let's go already."

 

The brothers shrugged, and Taynio put his Bible in his pocket again and the group began to walk, led by an unusually excited Taynio, to the rainforest's edge.

 

"Here it is-" Taynio said, and, a seldom seen sight, a wide smile was on his face.

"Nothing can make me happier than this forest. As dangerous as it is, it's absolutely beautiful, and one of the few reasons anyone visits us. Even so, its danger keeps people away. It's...It's a gem of the Island."

Cheesemaster put Edna on his shoulders and looked on in awe when he saw the Taynio Rainforest.

 

It was the edge of the forest, so here it was nothing but a very lush green, bright browns of the tree trunks, and blackness promising adventures within it. Taynio ran forward, and stood on top of a tree's gigantic root.

"Cheesemaster, I think it's best you either hold your friend at all times, or hold his hand, or something like that-don't let him out of your sight. And Anon Twins, don't separate from each other either-I want us to be as safe as possible."

 

The twins shouted a hearty "Yes, Taynio," In unison, and Cheesemaster and Edna quietly agreed to the guidelines as well.

"Let's go, then," Taynio whispered, and motioned for the others to follow.

 

Cheesemaster looked at Edna, both of them excited, as they followed the twins and Taynio.

 

Taynio led the group some ways into the forest, though not very far, until they reached a small grove of trees, bushes, and vines growing around the trees.

"This is where all the Taynian fruits grow," Blaze explained.

"We can pick them whenever we want to," Brian continued.

 

Cheesemaster let Edna down to the ground.

"You two can pick as many as you want, and take a few home with you, if you want to." Taynio explained.

Edna gasped, and looked up at Cheesemaster, tugging on his pant leg.

"Come on! Come on!!" Edna said, trying to pull his friend along.

"Alright, alright," Cheesemaster said, giggling, and Taynio stood there, smiling.

 

"The twins and I are going to leave you two alone, alright? We need to pick food ourselves, as well as do some training."

"But we won't be too far away," The twins said. "So you can give us a holler. if you need us."

 

And with that, Taynio and the Anon brothers disappeared into the forest.

 

Cheesemaster looked down at Edna.

"Alright, Edna," He said, kneeling down, "Don't wander off. I want you to stay with me at all times, alright?"

Edna nodded, with a "Yea, Yea" that showed how he wasn't listening all that well. "Do you have your newspaper bag?"

Cheesemaster nodded. "Did you want to put the fruit in it?"

Edna nodded.

"Alright," Cheesemaster said, opening up the paper-bag and holding it for Edna.

"I'll let you pick as much as you want, or as much as this bag can fit," Cheesemaster said. Edna had no problem with this.

 

Edna first went towards a vine wrapping a round a very thick, near-black tree trunk. The fruits were purplish, and vaguely capsule-shaped. Edna reached for some of them, and plucked one off the vine. The fruit was smooth in his hands, but it skin was not very shiny. He bit a little bit of it off and ate it.

"How is it?" Cheesmaster asked him, sitting on the ground.

"A little sour," Edna said. "You try."

Cheesemaster took the fruit and ate a little. "You're right-rather sour. No?"

"No," Edna said. He looked around again, looking for other things to pick, and when he found one he liked, he would put it in the bag, where Cheesemaster typically took a bite to see if he liked it.

 

"I really like these ones!" Edna said at one point, grabbing some rectangular, grey-to-red-to-beige gradient fruits. "They're nice and sweet. And they feel like candy."

Cheesemaster tried one of them, and they tasted very sweet just as Edna had said; he ended up eating an entire fruit. Luckily, they were rather large.

 

"You know, since these are fruits, they have seeds, which means we can grow them when we get back!!" Edna realized, and he gasped excitedly at the thought.

Cheesemaster nodded, and picked up the bag to test the weight.

"Don't let the bag get too heavy, Edna," Cheesemaster warned.

 

At that point, Cheesemaster heard a faint noise coming from his pocket. A song with some muffled lyrics about an evil twin was playing, and Cheesemaster picked it up and answered. He'd practically forgotten he'd had it.

 

"Hello?" He said, and heard "Hello...?" on the end-Dawn's voice.

Cheesemaster smiled, and his heart leapt when he heard her voice.

"Dawn!! Goodness-I was so worried about you. I tried calling you earlier."

"I know. Cheese Woman told me," Dawn said.

Cheesemaster paused, as Edna put another fruit in the bag-a yellow and orange perfect sphere with black leaves.

"Dawn...are you...are you alright?"

"I guess so," Dawn said, a bit sadly.

Cheesemaster sighed. "Dawn, tell me what's wrong."

"Jakob didn't have his medicine," Dawn said, and Cheesemaster sensed a hint of sadness, and fear, in her voice. "The night you left."

 

Cheesemaster stared into space, and for a few moments, time seemed to stop. The fact he knew nearly nothing about the sitation added to his fear-what was the gravity of Jakob's condition?

 

"Dawn...what happened? He didn't-He didn't hurt you, did he? Or anyone else?"

Dawn said nothing for a moment, and then said "He didn't. We're all ok. But we...we were all horribly scared. He hasn't been like this in so long. It's the first time in over four years he hasn't had the medicine."

 

Cheesemaster listened intently to her as she spoke, paying little to no attention to Edna, who just kept bringing fruits to the paper-bag.

"It's all over now, though...and Jakob, he's been acting really well since then. He's been nice, really nice for once-I don't know if he realizes what he did-"

"Dawn, what the #### did he even do?!" Cheesemaster yelled.

 

Edna, who had been gathering some fruits (whose skins looked like rock), looked at him, and then got back to gathering things.

Dawn paused again. "I...It's not important, alright?!" She said, suddenly getting angry.

Cheesemaster stopped. Again, time seemed to stand still, and then she started talking again.

"Are you going to enroll Edna in elementary school?" She asked.

Cheesemaster paused for a moment, getting ahold of himself. "Yea," Cheesemaster said. "They're building a school in town, aren't they?"

"Uh-huh. Julia wants to send Sterling and Rick there, but Jakob doesn't want them going to public school."

Cheesemaster wasn't surprised by this.

"That sounds like him," He said. "Well, Dawn, I....I really don't want to let you go, but me and Edna are busy. Picking fruit. We'll bring you some."

"Alright. Thank you, Cheesie."

"Good-bye, Dawn."

"Good-bye, Cheesemaster. I..."

 

There was a silence between the two of them.

"I miss you," Dawn said quickly. She hung up before he could say anything.

 

Cheesemaster looked at the phone for a bit, as if expecting something, and then slowly slipped it back in his pocket.

"Edna-" He started, looking into the paper-bag. It suddenly came to him that Edna hadn't put a fruit in the bag for some time.

"Edna, are you resting?" He said, looking around, and tried to lift the bag. It was extraordinarily heavy, but he heaved it up anyhow, his shoulder shooting with pain when he did. Papers were heavy, but he wasn't really used to a bag filled to the brim (and more) with fruits.

 

He looked around again, calling his friend's name.

"Edna?" He shouted, looking around. "Edna?"

No answer.

Cheesemaster gulped.

"Taynio!!!" He shouted, and after he said it, he heard a rustle of leaves, and the man appeared in between some trees.

"What's wrong?"

"Have you seen Edna? He...he disappeared, I think."

Taynio's eyes widened. "He..."

There was a silence, and then he looked behind him.

"Blaze!!! Brian!!! Come here!!"

The twins ran towards him and asked, unanimously, "What's the matter?"

 

"Edna seems to have vanished. He can't have gone far. I need both of you to look for him. Now!"

"You got it," Both of them said, with both the twins going off in opposite directions to look for the boy, calling his name.

 

"How could you have lost him?!" Taynio snapped, his voice rising for the first time.

"I-"

Taynio closed his eyes, his hand to his face. "How could this...I-Dammit-You took your eyes off of him for one moment, didn't you?"

"No!! I wouldn't ever do that!"

"What happened, then?" Taynio asked, a little calmly, but still urgent.

"Dawn called me. I talked to her for a few minutes. When she hung up, he was gone. I don't know when he disappeared."

"You...you zoned out?" Taynio said.

Cheesemaster looked around nervously.

"Never mind. We need to look. You ought to lead-I think you have a much better chance of finding him."

 

Cheesemaster nodded. "I'll need to leave my bag here, though," he said.

"That's fine. Just hurry," Taynio said, and Cheesemaster, to his own relief, took the bag off of him and carefully set it by a tree, and went running off into the woods.

 

Taynio, watching him, clutched the cross around his neck, and, silently, began to pray.

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

"Edna!!! Edna!!! Where are you, where are you...?"

 

Cheesemaster yelled Edna's name desperately into the thick jungle, scared and, perhaps, lost himself; it felt like when Edna was lost in the forest near Hindenburg, but now even worse now-this place was much stranger, and if Taynio was right, far more dangerous. Cheesemaster hadn't found anything that seemed particularly dangerous, although perhaps the danger came from getting lost.

 

Dammit, why can I be psychic as well? Then I could communicate with him and at least know where he is-

 

"EDNA!!!!" Screamed Cheesemaster, and he continued running, barely stopping to catch his breath. "Edna!!! Edna!!! Where-are-you-?" He breathed, and he stopped, collapsing on the forest floor. He'd never run quite so much in his life, and combined with constant yelling, and his own poor physical shape, he was horridly tired.

 

Cheesemaster laid down on the ground, facedown, breathing heavy, slow breaths.

"Ed...na....Ed...na...Edna. Edna..."

He drew in a heavy breath, and rolled over, looking up at the canopy of trees, which were dizzying. His chest heaved up and down, still breathing heavily. His cap fell off of his head, falling onto the ground, and he shut his eyes.

"Edna...Edna...where are you?" He whispered, desperately, under his breath. He got up, and sat in the middle of the woods, and drew his knees close to his body, and for the first time in some time, he was ready, truly scared.

 

"Edna..." he whispered, "Where are you?"

 

He wondered how much luck the Anons were having; whether they had exhausted themselves, too, or found Edna.

 

Cheesemaster looked around him, wondering desperately where Edna was, what Taynio was doing, had the twins had any luck-his head was swimming with a thousand thoughts, all relating to where Edna was.

 

The truth was, the Anon twins were not having any luck either; both of them had separated, but eventually ended up looking together. The two had a hard time being apart.

 

"This entire forest looks the same," Brian said, and sighed. He put his hand against the bark of a tree.

Blaze went to an adjacent tree and put his hand on it. "Do...do you think we'll find him?"

Brian folded his arms. "I hope so. If only for the sake of Cheesemaster."

"I don't believe him when he says he considers Edna his friend," Blaze said. "Even if he doesn't realize it. I swear the two are like a father & son."

Brian shrugged. "I...I saw them more as brothers. In fact, if I hadn't known the two of them previously, I would have sworn that both were orphaned brothers and Cheesemaster, as the older, had to take care of his five-year-old brother in the absence of parents."

 

Blaze sighed. "Come on. Let's keep looking."

Brian paused. "Do you think..."

Blaze stopped. "Brian, the one thing we don't share is thoughts."

"Blaze, you study Earth Alchemy; why don't you use that to see if you can find him?"

Blaze folded his arms and stared at his brother. "How do you suppose I'd do that?"

Brian shrugged. "I...I don't know, Blaze..."

 

Blaze kneeled to the ground. "It's worth a try. Can you find me a st-"

"Stick," Brian finished, and threw one to his brother, who caught it before he even knew it was being thrown.

 

"Thoughts," Blaze muttered. "I think we do share some of them," He said to himself as he drew an alchemy circle in the dirt.

"I don't know how this will work," Blaze said doubtfully.

"Do you need any help?" Brian said helpfully.

Brian shook his head.

"I knew it," Brian sighed.

 

Blaze put his hands to the circle, and shut his eyes, thinking of Edna.

"I don't know how, but help me find the little boy-Edna," He muttered to no one.

Blaze focused as he put his hands in the circle. He couldn't see, but he felt his power going through the circle, and his own alchemic powers surging into the ground.

 

After a few moments of this, Blaze was knocked back, signaling the ritual was done. Only an experienced alchemist could complete the ritual without some sort of recoil; both the twins were getting much better, but still fell to the ground after it was done.

 

"I hope that does something," Blaze muttered as he stood back up.

Brian walked over and put his hand on his twin's back, and Blaze paused.

"Here," He said, ecstatic, as a small line of dirt piles appeared coming from the alchemy circle.

"I think it's working," Brian said slowly, as the line went in between the twins.

 

Blaze stared at it, and then, without having to tell each other, knew they had to follow it.

 

The line of dirt piles kept running and running, and Blaze was filled with the strange feeling he always had when he did alchemy.

The twins walked through the forest, following the line, when it suddenly stopped.

"Blaze?" Brian asked, looking at his brother.

Blaze shook his head slowly. "I don't know," He said quietly, and then, knowing what he had to do, began shouting Edna's name again.

"No-shhhh!" Brian said, a hand over his brother's mouth.

 

The two listened intently, and heard a faint crying.

"That has to be Edna," Blaze whispered.

The twins walked around, as the crying got louder; curious, and definite of the sound's direction, began to run, until they shortly reached a clearing.

 

Laying in the clearing, was not Edna. It was Cheesemaster. Surrounding him was a pile of glowing dirt piles, like the one that had lead the twins; they looked at each other, and Brian sighed heavily. Blaze shrugged and murmured "Sorry."

 

"...Cheesemaster? Are you...alright?"

Cheesemaster sat up, and took off his glasses to wipe his eyes with his handkerchief.

"You're crying," Blaze said.

"I sure am," Cheesemaster sobbed. "I can't find Edna. I'm so worried..."

Blaze sighed. "We haven't had any luck either," He said; it pained him to tell it to Cheesemaster when he was already broken up over it.

 

"Oh, Goodness...What if something terrible happened to him?!" Cheesemaster said, walking over to them and beginning to cry again. "What if he got really hurt? What if he's dead?!"

"Don't talk like that," The twins said. "He's not going to die."

 

Blaze sighed again. "I tried using alchemy to find him, by name. But the path it made led to you."

Cheesemaster wiped his eyes again. "I wouldn't know why that is," He said, "But perhaps we should look for Edna together?"

"Sounds good," Brian said. The three all agreed, and decided to go deeper into the forest.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

"Edna!!!" "Edna!!!" "Where are you?"

 

The three yelled for the boy, with Cheesemaster yelling the most and loudest for him, his eyes watering multiple times throughout it. No matter how tired he was, nor how much he strained his voice, he didn't stop.

 

"Brian..." Blaze said, and Brian looked at him. "I think he's...he's gone sorta delirious, don't you think?"

"Sorta, maybe, I don't know," Brian said, not sure.

"Cheese-"

 

Cheesemaster turned around, breathing heavily. "Where could he be? Dammit, where could he have run off to...?"

Blaze and Brian exchanged glances. "If it helps, I could try my alchemy again," Blaze offered.

 

Cheesemaster smiled weakly. "That'd be wonderful," He said, breathing slowly and heavily. "Please...please, try as hard as you can."

 

Blaze and Brian exchanged glances, but Blaze knew it was best to try again anyhow.

 

"I should...probably be more specific this time who I'm looking for," he said, laughing, as he drew the alchemy circle in the dirt, and re-did the ritual he'd done just a few hours earlier.

 

Once again, after the recoil (which Blaze avoided a little better as he saw it coming this time), the alchemy circle glowed, and once again, the line of dirt piles appeared from out of it.

 

"Blaze, how are you doing that?"

"It's alchemy," He said, "....sort of."

Cheesemaster stared at it, very curious about it; when it got out of their sight, they began to follow it.

 

Cheesemaster was increasingly anxious as he followed the dirt line, and increasingly nervous as well. He was already becoming a nervous wreck just from not knowing where Edna was or if he was safe or not, and the dirt line seemed to be going slower and slower the more anxious he got. He felt like screaming, but he barely had any words left.

 

"Go faster, go faster, dammit, dammit-" He muttered madly to himself. The twins exchanged glances again.

"Calm down," Brian said, calmly himself.

"I'm sorry," Cheesemaster breathed.

 

The three were silent for some time, as they kept following the line, until it suddenly stopped. Cheesemaster stared at it, sweating, and after a very long silence, he spun around and looked at the twins.

 

"What now?" He said, his eyes wide, sweat dripping off him from anxiousness.

The twins stared up.

"Look at that," They said, and Cheesemaster looked.

 

Behind them, or rather, in front of them, was a small temple. It was simply-carved, from stone probably gathered from around the jungle-many pieces of the temple didn't match others.

 

Cheesemaster gulped. "I hope he didn't go in there," He said quietly. "But he's such a curious kid...he probably did..."

"Then the only thing to do is to go in and look for him," Brian said. The other two reluctantly agreed, and went inside the cavern/temple.

[Mushroom_king]

CC Edna, as you can imagine, had wandered in to the Taynian temple; he was crumpled up on the floor in a room not too far from the entrance. He'd been crying for what seemed like hours, waiting to see if anyone would find him; he'd brought a few fruits with him when he'd left the spot where he was picking fruits, but had since exhausted his supply, and he was hungry again.

 

Edna wasn't tired, really; he was crumpled on the floor from not only sadness and hopelessness, but the temple was brimming with power-mostly alchemic power, but it was too strong for a five-year-old to handle, much less one with sensitive psychic powers.

 

He kept telling himself how stupid he was; he wasn't supposed to wander off, and yet he had, and now he was paying the price for it. He wondered if he would be stuck in the temple forever, and it was a horribly depressing thought, never seeing Cheesemaster or Dawn or Sterling or Rick ever again. The thought made him start crying uncontrollably again.

 

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the temple, Cheesemaster and the Anon brothers were walking when Cheesemaster told them to stop.

 

"Do you hear that?" He said, and all three were completely silent. They listened carefully, and heard some distant crying.

 

"There's crying again," The twins said to each other.

"It might be Edna," Cheesemaster said excitedly, and he yelled the boy's name.

 

"Edna? Are you there?" He shouted, and his voice echoed down the passage.

The crying stopped for a moment, and the boys heard a sniffle.

Cheesemaster turned around, and clutched the twin's arms and practically dragged them by the arm along the corridor.

 

"Edna!! EDNA!!!" he shouted, his voice practically screaming.

He stopped to catch his breath, and was about to collapse until he heard, near-distant, "M-M...Mr. Cheesemaster?"

 

"Edna...Oh my goodness-Edna-"

He let go of the twin's arms, as they ran after him. Cheesemaster and Edna yelled each other's names, as Cheesemaster followed the boy's voice down the echoing corridor.

 

"Edna, Edna, Edna"

Before he could turn into a slowly-appearing entryway, Edna stumbled forward, and looked at his older friend.

"Edna..." Cheesemaster said, and he fell to his knees, clutched the boy in his arms, and began to sob into Edna's hat and hair. He tried to say something, anything, to show how worried he had been, and how Edna should never run off again, but they weren't needed; the crying was enough.

 

The twins caught up with Cheesemaster, but kept a distance from the reunion. The two looked at each other, heaving sighs of relief.

Cheesemaster lifted his face out of Edna's scalp, his glasses smeared with tears.

 

He choked back more of them, and wiped as many away as he could with his sleeve, and sighed. "Don't you ever run away again," He said quietly. Edna started to cry, too, and buried his face into his friend's chest, pleading "Sorry" as much as he could until his words melted back into blubbering and sobbing.

 

"Come on," Cheesemaster whispered. "Let's get out of here."

Edna's crying got slower and he eventually went into a state of odd quietness as Cheesemaster carried him out of the temple, hugging him tightly, and the twins led them out silently.

 

"We have to find a way out of here, first off-" Blaze said, hoping to break the silence, when they exited the temple and reached the woods. To their surprise, Taynio was standing just outside the temple, arms folded, and staring at them with an expression that could have been any number of emotions.

 

"Taynio," The twins said, and Cheesemaster said nothing. His throat felt the strange way it does when you have cried a lot-sort of gluey, for lack of better terms. He felt it was better to just not speak-he was too worried about crying again, anyhow.

 

"Blaze. Brian." he said quickly, and his face became soft, though visibly angry. "What are you doing here?"

"Edna was in there," Brian explained, with both twins shaking their heads, and using the same hand motions to convey body language. "We just felt he was in there. I used some alchemy to try and find him. First it led us to Cheesemaster, then to this temple, so we thought Edna would-"

 

Taynio walked over to the twins, now angrier looking. "Neither of you understand," He started, his voice also angry. "You didn't wait for me to find any of you. You could have gotten killed or lost."

"But we haven't seen anything dangerous yet. Not even remotely dangerous," Blaze said.

"Even so," Taynio said, "None of us know the full extent of the forest. None of you had any clue what might be in that temple, either."

"But Taynio," Cheesemaster said, wanting to speak now, "This temple could give us a lot of information. We don't know all that much about Native Invisionists. This temple might be good for learning about them."

 

Taynio stopped, and his face lightened up. He sighed deeply, and thought for a moment.

"Tomorrow," Taynio said. "The daytime might be safe to be in the jungle, but I am not so sure about the nighttime. Come now,"

 

The twins agreed to this, and Cheesemaster, clutching Edna closer, walked back to the university with them, picking up Cheesemaster's bookbag before leaving.

 

----------------------------------------------

 

Edna & Cheesemaster were taken to the dining hall, not long before dinner was to start. The fruits they'd collected were put into storage until they left, in a special marked box.

 

Edna ate voraciously, and drank even moreso; Cheesemaster told him frequently to remember his table manners, and tried to be a good example himself-though it was difficult since he'd been lost and hadn't eaten in some time.

Taynio was very quiet-moreso than he was usually. He seemed to still be angry from earlier.

 

"Mr. Taynio," Edna said, after swallowing some sliced up fruits. "Are you still mad?"

Taynio looked over at Edna. "A little," He said. "But tomorrow, I promise we can go to that temple. We'll have to go through the forest again, though, and I don't really know how to get through. Unless Blaze can use that technique he used today to find things, that is."

 

Blaze leaned back in his chair, his twin looking at him. "I don't know. I might be able to."

"Alright, then. You can all think it over. I'll be gathering up supplies. Get some rest."

 

The others said nothing, gathering the dishes up and putting them in the various large sinks in the cafeteria.

The twins said goodnight to Cheesemaster and Edna, who trudged up to their room. Cheesemaster fell onto the bed, Edna on his stomach.

Cheesemaster continued to clutch Edna, who in turn clutched at his white shirt.

"Edna..." He whispered, and Edna looked up.

 

"I know already," Edna murmured. "I'm so sorry."

Cheesemaster hugged him even tighter. "Edna, you can't run away from me like that," He said, sobs in his voice. He choked back more tears. "You can't just wander off like that. I was worried sick."

Edna looked up. "I know. I realized when I got lost that I shouldn't have done it. I'm so sorry!! I'll never do it again!!"

The boy clutched Cheesemaster's neck, burying his face into his friend's chest.

Cheesemaster lifted his head a bit, and placed his hands around Edna's head.

 

"It's alright now," He said. "You're back. You're not hurt." He squeezed Edna, and whispered, "That's enough for me. Now let's go to bed."

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

The next morning, Cheesemaster & Edna woke up, Edna still cradled in Cheesemaster's arms and his head resting on Cheesemaster's chest. Neither had taken off their hats or anything, and Cheesemaster's glasses were filthy from being pressed against pillows, blankets, and Edna's clothes.

 

"Edna? Edna, wake up," He said sleepily. He moved his glasses up and rubbed his eyes, as Edna blinked his eyes awake and looked around. "Huh?"

"We're supposed to explore that temple today, and we still need to get ready. Come on," He said, and Edna slid off of his friend, blinking his eyes some more and rubbing them as Cheesemaster got up to get ready for the day.

 

Edna stretched and yawned, and rummaged through his bag for some more clothes, eventually picking out some short pants, a lightweight coat, and some ankle socks. While Cheesemaster showered, he changed clothes and combed his hair; he thought the shorts looked cute with the coat, hat, and his suspenders hanging down by his legs, and spun around before putting his hat on.

 

Cheesemaster walked out of the bathroom, his hair wet, fully dressed. He sat down on the bed and started cleaning his glasses, when Edna ran over to him and asked if his outfit looked cute.

"Hold on a minute," He said. He looked at his glasses, wiped something away, and then put them on, and looked at Edna.

 

"You look very cute today," He said, smiling. "But why the coat?"

"it was really musty and kind of cold in the temple," Edna explained. "You said once that the deeper you go, the cooler it gets."

Cheesemaster smiled at his friend. "That's true," He said, and rubbed Edna's head. "You're rather smart."

Edna giggled. "Of course, I learn from you."

Cheesemaster sighed. "Well, I guess I ought to get a coat, too."

 

Cheesemaster looked at Edna again. "We match today-I'm wearing shorts, too."

Cheesemaster opened his suitcase, looking for his coat, and found his blue sweater and brown jacket.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster, you might be too hot with the sweater and coat. Why don't you just wear the coat?"

Cheesemaster buttoned up just one button on his coat and turned around to look at Edna. "I like this sweater."

Edna stared at him. "You seem really attached to it. What's so great about it?"

Cheesemaster sat on the bed and stared wistfully into space, and finally looked back at Edna, his expression, although he was smiling, seeming distant.

 

"It belonged to my father," He said, and without another word, took Edna's hand and led him out of their room.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

In the hallway, the two were silent; whenever Edna looked up at Cheesemaster, he had that distant look in his face, and sometimes he would walk a little slower, his head tilted at an angle, his face suddenly in an expression of thinking, or perhaps, wondering.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster...." Edna said a couple times, but Cheesemaster never responded.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, that sweater was your dad's?"

Cheesemaster looked down and nodded, but said nothing.

Edna was quiet for a moment, and then said, "That's the only thing I've heard you say about your father, aside from him being a biologist." Edna paused, and then said, "You didn't outright say it, but he was nearsighted, too."

Cheesemaster stopped, and looked down at Edna.

"Yea. He was." Cheesemaster looked away, and sighed.

 

"Why won't you tell me more about him?" Edna asked as they continued walking, though no longer hand in hand. Cheesemaster folded his arms and looked at the ground. He looked hurt, almost, and looked away. He couldn't think of a good reason.

 

"Please tell me about him. Just his name?"

Cheesemaster turned around. "Especially not his name."

"Why not? That's so silly."

Cheesemaster sighed. "I'm sorry, Edna."

"Do you hate him or something?" Edna said, and then quickly added, "No, you wouldn't wear his glasses and sweater so much if you did."

Cheesemaster sighed. "Please, Edna."

 

Edna groaned, and the two were silent for some time, when Edna looked up, smiled, and asked, "How did your father look in the sweater?"

Cheesemaster stopped and looked at Edna. "I don't know. He never wore it when I lived with him. But-" He sighed, and he smiled. "My mother had pictures of him from before-" He stopped, and began to sweat. "Before I was born. He wore the sweater then."

Edna blinked as the two opened the door to the cafeteria. "Why didn't he ever wear it when you were born?"

Cheesemaster smiled, and turned a little pink. "It didn't fit him anymore," He said, turning the doorknob, and he said no more as he walked in.

 

Edna gave up, knowing he would not get any more information out of him right now, and the two walked over to a table.

"We're early," Edna said, noticing that neither Taynio nor the Anon Twins were around yet.

 

The boys sat down, Edna next to Cheesemaster, and waited.

"You're sure we're supposed to meet here?" Edna asked, and Cheesemaster nodded.

"I distinctly remember," He said quietly, and Edna continued looking at him. He sighed, and looked forwards.

"What's wrong?" Cheesemaster asked.

"I wanna know more about your father, that's all."

Cheesemaster heaved, and leaned his head on one of his hands. "This is why I shouldn't bring the subject up. Then everyone asks."

"But why? Why don't you ever talk about him?" Edna asked, his voice louder.

"Edna, I want to tell you everything about him, but I simply can't. Maybe someday you can." He sighed again.

"At least tell me a little bit? I'm like your little brother. You tell me everything, except for stuff about your father."

 

Cheesemaster groaned, and buried his face in his hands. "Please, Edna."

Edna sighed heavily and angrily. and folded his arms on the table, his chin resting on top.

 

There was some silence, and Cheesemaster said, "I'm sorry, Edna. I really do want to tell you."

"Alright," Edna said, and sighed.

 

Just then, the cafeteria doors opened, and in walked Taynio, followed by the Anon brothers, and the girl Jesusfreak from a few days earlier. The twins had large backpacks with them, and Taynio had a satchel. The four of them walked over to the table where Edna and Cheesemaster were, and sat down.

 

"Today is your last day here, isn't it?" Brian asked when they say down.

Cheesemaster thought for a moment, and then nodded. "That's right. Tomorrow morning we go home."

"Alright, then," Blaze said, "Then we have to make today really fun."

"Mr. Cheesemaster, I thought we were staying longer." Edna said, and Cheesemaster looked at him, and said, "I'm worried about Dawn."

 

Edna shrugged and turned back around to the others.

"I don't have anything to do today," Jesufreak said, "So I thought I'd come along. Plus, this could count as a sort of project-" She looked at Taynio. "-Couldn't it?"

Taynio sighed, and smiled at her. "Fine, then."

The twins giggled, and looked at each other. "Good for us, too," They said. The two looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

 

"What's so funny?" Edna whispered, and Cheesemaster shrugged. Jesusfreak rolled her eyes. "Twins..."

Blaze & Brian suddenly stopped and looked back forward, coughing in unison.

 

"Anyhow," Taynio said, looking at them with some discontent, "Today, we'll be leaving to explore the new-found temple in the forest. Jesusfreak, Blaze, and Brian, you will be required to write a report about it, and I'll offer a handful of extra credit projects as well." He looked over at his guests. "Cheesemaster and Edna, because you aren't attending, you will simply be exploring for your own enjoyment and educational benefit."

"Taynio," Cheesemaster said, "Edna's going to Kindergarten this fall. Would there be any way to...well, make this count in some way for him?"

 

Taynio thought for a moment. "I'm not connected to any schools in your town, but Edna could make a report and see what that does."

Cheesemaster nodded. "Alright."

"Anyhow, we'll be leaving very soon-after a light breakfast."

 

Taynio got up and prepared food for the others himself. While he did, Cheesemaster made small talk with the Anon brothers as well as Jesusfreak, a friend he didn't talk to much.

 

"I heard all about what happened yesterday from Taynio," The girl said. "It sounds horrible."

"He was sobbing like you wouldn't believe," Blaze said.

"We saw the reunion at the temple," Brian continued.

They both shook their heads and concluded, "It was a horrible sight."

 

Jesusfreak adjusted her glasses and pink headband, and stared at Cheesemaster. "True?"

Cheesemaster sighed, and held his head in his hands. "It was awful. I don't...I don't want to think about how I felt. It was horrible."

He stopped himself before he started crying again, though it had already put a damper on his mood.

Edna sighed, but Cheesemaster lifted his head, and rubbed Edna's head.

 

"I can't wait, honestly-" Jesusfreak quipped. "There's never been any native Invisionists on Taynio, as far as we know, so it'll be interesting to see this temple..."

 

She continued to talk about how excited she was, telling them all kinds of odd facts about Taynio, and other regions of Invision where natives had been found. The Anon twins looked at each other as they talked and shrugged, while Cheesemaster listened with rapt attention.

 

Taynio returned with a tray of plates for them, each with a light, fruity breakfast on it. Taynio ate his slowly and patiently while Edna ate voraciously-he really loved all the Taynian fruits, and told Cheesemaster several times how happy he was that they were bringing some home.

 

When everyone was done, Taynio gathered up the plates (with Edna helping), and put them away to be cleaned or reused; afterwards, the group packed up their things in preparation for the trip.

 

Eventually the group left, just before swarms of students flooded into the cafeteria for breakfast, and walked across the emptying courtyard and onto the road, when Cheesemaster stopped them.

 

"Do you think I could call Dawn?" He asked the group, and after some consideration, they didn't see why not. Cheesemaster thanked them, and borrowed one of the twin's cell phones and dialed her again. He'd already memorized her phone number.

 

"I hope it's not too early," He said quietly, and he walked away from the group to talk privately.

The phone eventually picked up, and he heard Dawn's voice, causing his heart to skip a bit.

"Hello?" she said, and he couldn't help but smile as he said, "Dawn? Are you awake?"

"Yea," Dawn said, "I just woke up, but I feel fine. I haven't even dressed yet-I'm still in my pajamas, and I'm so glad you can't see me right now, because I look like a mess."

 

Cheesemaster remembered how she looked when she'd been resting, after the fiasco in Hamsterdam. She'd looked pretty, despite her lack of makeup and her messy hair.

 

"I doubt that. How are you today? Are you alright there? Me and Edna are coming back home tomorrow."

"Yea, I'm fine. Jakob's still...weird, I guess. He's been quiet, and he's been staying in his bed, and he's been looking over some cases from Cullough, hoping to go back sometime soon. His best environment is when he's taking on cases," She said, and then, half-jokingly, "Or harassing you."

Cheesemaster laughed, though a little sadly. "Unfortunately, that's true. Though I must admit it is good that he is so good at his occupation."

Dawn sighed. "That's true. And James, too. Jakob is thinking of taking James with him next time he goes back to Cullough-he wants his brother to start working again."

"I'm sure," Cheesemaster said. "But as long as James doesn't leave you in the care of Jakob."

"Yea," Dawn said, and Cheesemaster could faintly hear her getting up and going over to her vanity.

"But how has your trip been?" Dawn asked, moving away from that subject.

Cheesemaster relayed the events of yesterday to her, telling her, his voice getting sadder as he did, but he didn't even feel like crying this time.

 

"That's terrible," was all Dawn said, after listening intently to the story. "But at least you found him."

"I know," Cheesemaster said, sighing in relief. "I was so happy when I found him..."

"But what are you doing today?" She asked him, to get off that subject as well.

"We're going in a group, back to that temple, to do some studying. Taynio didn't seem to know the place existed."

"That's interesting," Dawn said, sighing.

"Is something wrong?" Cheesemaster asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Dawn said nothing for a moment, and then said, "It's nothing. Really."

"Are you sure?" Cheesemaster said, helpfully.

Dawn sighed heavily and deeply. "I miss you, that's all."

 

Cheesemaster said nothing for a moment. He gulped.

"Well, I...I miss you, too." He breathed for a moment, and then started saying more, his voice getting faster: "I miss my house, I miss my job, but most of all, I miss you, I-"

He stopped himself, and breathed heavily for a few moments, and swallowed again. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I miss you, too. I miss seeing you every day in front of your house. I really love buying your paper every day. And Jakob says your yelling is irritating, I think it's great."

"You think so? It hurts my throat sometimes."

Dawn laughed. "Well, I..."

 

From behind him, Cheesemaster could hear Jesufreak shouting him. "Hey, hurry it up? We still need to leave!"

"I'm sorry, Dawn. I need to go, unfortunately. I'll see you tomorrow." He sighed, and folded his free arm. He heard Dawn sigh as well.

"Alright," She said, and she sounded horribly sad. "I..."

 

She was about to say something, but before she could, one of the Anon twins had come over, and snatched the phone away from him.

"Look, I know you wanted to talk to your girlfriend..."

Cheesemaster gulped. "She...she's not my girlfriend."

 

The twin yelled at him a little bit and dragged him back over to the group, and they all left for the temple.

 

Cheesemaster lagged behind Edna, who observed his friend looking wistfully at the scenery as they walked to the temple.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, is something wrong?"

Cheesemaster looked down at his friend. "I don't know."

[Mushroom_king]

"Is something wrong?" Edna repeated. Cheesemaster looked down at his friend, and sighed.

"I don't know. I think I'm homesick."

"That's alright. We are going home tomorrow," Edna said.

Cheesemaster sighed. "Well, I can't wait."

"What are you two talking about back here?" Jesusfreak said, and she started walking backwards.

"Nothing," Cheesemaster said. "I've gotten a little homesick, is all."

"Are you not having fun?" Jesusfreak asked, seeming concerned.

"No, no, it's been a lot of fun. I just miss home."

Jesusfreak put her arms behind her head, and turned back around to continue walking.

 

Eventually the group reached the temple, thanks to Taynio leading the way, as well as both him and the twins using alchemy to find it.

The temple loomed high above them, and Cheesemaster's homesickness faded away a bit, excited on the things to be discovered inside. At the same time, however, he was reminded constantly of the day before.

 

He shook his head, in an attempt to shake it from his memory.

"Let's go," Taynio whispered, in that same excited voice he had used the day before when they'd entered the jungle.

 

Cheesemaster took Edna's hand firmly and ran after Taynio and the others, who all stood outside the entrance of the temple.

 

It looked like it had come out of a movie-it was a tall, stone structure with no doorway, but rather an enormous entryway that showed the hallways inside. The outside of it was rather plain, and without much more notice, Taynio and his students went on inside. Cheesemaster stayed behind, still lagging, just to see if there wasn't anything interesting on the outside of the structure. Even if there wasn't, it was still fascinating, and he picked up Edna and carried him inside.

 

"Come on," Jesusfreak called out, from inside the temple; her voice echoed off the sides, despite not being that far in. "We won't get much done if you're lagging behind us."

"Sorry," Cheesemaster said quietly, even though she couldn't hear him, and walked quickly towards the rest of the group. Taynio and the Anon twins were looking around the front hallway, as Jesusfreak waited for the other two.

When he caught up, Taynio thought it best to explore the first two rooms-the one Edna had been in yesterday, and the one directly across from it.

 

"Here's the one I was in," Edna said, just as they caught up to Taynio.

"I know," He said; "I'd rather we got this room over with so we wouldn't have to deal with it later. I know you're probably already getting some bad feeling about seeing it again."

Cheesemaster looked at Edna from the corner of his eyes. "I'm not really," Edna said, and Cheesemaster looked away. It was clear that this was getting to him instead.

"Alright. Then let's go."

 

The group walked into the large room, which was mostly bare, much to their disappointment; there was not even any doorways or staircases that might lead to more interesting rooms.

The Anon twins sighed in unison. "Well, I guess this room is a waste," Brian muttered, and Blaze nodded. Taynio walked forward, looking around to see if anything of value was in there.

"I don't think so," Taynio finally said, "I think every room here is meaningful in some way. This room can't just exist for no reason-I'd like to find out why it's empty."

 

The others hadn't noticed when Cheesemaster & Edna went into the room across the hall, and all jumped when they noticed him gone, and again when they heard his voice yelling from the other room.

"I don't think there's much in here, either," He shouted, and Taynio turned around and slowly walked towards the other room, but not before reminding the three students to look over the room while he went into the other one.

 

Brian sighed at this prospect, but Blaze seemed fine with it-being an Earth Alchemist, he liked being in the giant stone building. Jesusfreak didn't seem to like or dislike it, seeming more indifferent on it.

 

In the other room, Taynio walked in and saw Cheesemaster, holding Edna's hand, looking around.

"I don't understand," Taynio murmured. "Why are there two empty rooms here at the front?"

Cheesemaster thought for a moment. "I'd hazard a guess that it's either symbolic, or that there was something in these rooms, that was removed later on."

Taynio sighed. "It'd be sad if the latter was the case," He said. "But I'd want to find out why it was removed, if that's true, which would be even harder to figure out...either way, I can study these rooms later on. Let's keep going."

 

The party regrouped and walked farther along the hallway, where it appeared there were some stairs leading up.

"How big was this place on the outside?" Blaze asked, and Taynio tried to remember; before he could answer, Jesusfreak had already pointed out that there was also a staircase going down.

 

"So there is," Taynio said, looking down into it. "There must be some sort of light down there, because it's not pitch dark." He turned back to the group, and they noticed that his regular, unmoving facial expression was back now-gone was the sparkle of excitement from when they sought out the temple. They knew he was feeling a powerful aura in the building, just as Edna had yesterday. It wasn't quite as overpowering to Edna's senses today, though-and he wondered why.

 

"We should head upstairs first. I'd guess that there's not much upstairs, but downstairs there are more passages."

The others thought that sounded fine, and they all walked upstairs, led by Taynio, who looked around as he walked.

 

The upstairs ended with a large room, filled with windows. Like the downstairs, it was deserted, with not even any interesting patterns on the walls to make it interesting. They all split up and looked around the room, even trying to see if there were any hidden panels or devices, but turned up nothing.

 

"What a waste," Blaze loudly complained. Jesusfreak nodded in agreement, and Taynio heaved considerably. "I'm sorry," Was all he said, as he went back downstairs, and down again, into the darker yet still well-lit sublevel of the temple.

 

Instead of a room, the downstairs area led to a narrow hallway with some rubble on the floor, and while there were holders for torches, there were no torches-or at least none lit-and Taynio wondered several times how the hallway stayed lit.

 

They kept going down the hallway, and it would twist and turn occasionally, but was fairly straightforward with no forked paths.

They eventually found an underground chamber, which was as bright as the upstairs rooms, but, like the others, completely deserted.

 

"I don't understand," Taynio muttered. "Why is this entire temple completely deserted with no objects and nothing inscribed on the walls?"

He sighed, and sat on the floor, looking put-down, and sounding it too.

 

Edna walked over to Taynio, put a hand on his shoulder, and tried comforting him. "It's ok, Mr. Taynio. At least we learned there isn't anything in here-besides, I'm sure a really up and down search could make you find something."

Taynio looked at Edna. "I suppose so," He said, his voice back to monotone. "Let's get out of here."

 

The group walked back through the basement level, back across the foyer of the first floor, and outside, where they all basked in the real light again-until they were interrupted by a voice in front of them.

 

"Taynio? What were you and your students doing in my temple?"

Taynio opened his eyes, and the others, crowding behind him, looked ahead at the source of the voice.

 

A person the same height as Taynio, but not human-rather, they work a brown, monk-like robe, had a orange-furred Fox head and limbs, and nine fox tails.

"What...what is that?" Jesusfreak whispered, and Cheesemaster stepped forward a bit.

"Kitsune," Cheesemaster said. "A nine-tailed fox. But what's one doing here?"

"Lexx," Taynio said, running forward. "What do you mean this is your temple?"

The others didn't move when Taynio went over to the nine-tailed fox.

"It's my temple," Lexx said. "I found it. I thought it was really weird and I liked it."

Taynio stared for a moment at Lexx, and then hit him.

 

Lexx recoiled a bit, and then looked at Taynio oddly.

"What....what was that for, Taynio?"

Taynio said nothing.

Lexx looked behind him at the students & Cheesemaster and Edna.

"Look, there seems to be some of your students. Looks like you all had an adventure in my temple."

"We thought this temple was built by native Invisionists and were hoping some information or artifacts were in it. What did you do?" Taynio asked, now calmed down.

"I didn't do anything," Lexx stated. "It was empty when I found it. That's why I thought it was weird. I'm sure your students loved it."

Taynio turned and looked at them, and then stood aside so they could see Lexx.

 

"Students, this is-" He sighed heavily, and looked fairly angry. "-My good friend and colleague, Lexxscrapham."

"How do you do," The twins said.

"Hi," Jesusfreak said, bored-sounding.

Edna bowed, and Cheesemaster smiled. "Hello. Are you an alchemist, too?"

Taynio turned to Lexx. "Lexx and I were friends before we came to Invision. He-" He looked at the Kitsune. "We took care of each other."

"I practice alchemy and PSI," Lexx said, ignoring Taynio.

"I see," Cheesemaster said. "You must be very good at it if you have nine tails."

"You're a psychic, too?" Edna asked.

Lexx nodded.

 

"What possessed you to come here, Lexx?" Taynio asked.

"You ask me that as thought you aren't glad to see me."

"You've been gone for half a year."

"Yes, and you disappeared off the face of both Invision and our home planet several times."

Taynio sighed.

"I felt a lot of psychic stuff in the temple. Did you put it there?" Edna asked, ignoring their arguing.

"It was like that when I found it," Lexx said. "I found that I'd absorbed some of it when I left. Did that happen to you?"

"Why, I don't know," Edna said.

 

Lexx turned to the twins and Jesusfreak. "I remember you three, sort of. I see you're still raising Blaze & Brian."

"I have to, Lexx," Taynio said defensively.

"I know, I know."

"Lexx, why don't you live at the university?" Jesusfreak asked.

"I don't like crowded places," He answered quickly. "Too many people overload my senses and slow me down. It's why I enjoy Taynio more than other areas of the planet, and why I chose it as my place to live. The moon is nice, too."

"What about Outside The Wall?" Brian asked.

"I don't think very many people live there," Blaze responded.

 

"The Phoenixonian Army lives there," Taynio said. "That's enough to have kept both of us away."

"Speaking of," Lexx said. "I wanted to show you something."

 

Taynio looked at his friend oddly, and then at his young friends, and they all decided it wasn't too bad of an idea to see what Lexx wanted to show them.

Taynio smiled. "What is it, Lexx?"

 

Lexx walked ahead, with Taynio running to walk next to him, and the teenagers lagging behind a bit, seeing the two adults talk to each other constantly as Lexx lead them along.

 

The kitsune stopped, and looked around. "I think it's near here."

"Lexx, what is it?" Jesusfreak asked impatiently.

"Well, this place used to exist in the Mushroom Isles down on the planet, but the Phoenixonian Army destroyed it. I called Mega Wolf and Horatio up to help me restore it."

"No. You can't mean...really?..." Taynio said, folding his arms.

Lexx stepped a bit outside, into a leafy grove, and the others followed.

 

In the enormous clearing where Lexx had stepped there were no trees whatsoever, and instead some large pools of steaming hot water and a few buildings. A large sign read "SANITY SPRINGS".

 

Taynio looked at the sign, dumbfounded, but Jesusfreak leaped forward. "I remember! I remember when this existed in the Mushroom Islands!"

"I don't," Cheesemaster said dejectedly.

"Neither do we," The twins moped.

 

Out of one of the buildings stepped a human girl, with Asian features and long dark brown hair. She turned and looked at the group.

"Lexxscrapham? You brought some friends, I see...that's rare..."

The girl ran forward, jumped, and in mid-jump disappeared and re-emerged as the winged white Mega Wolf.

"Goodness," Taynio said after watching it.

 

"I haven't seen you in the longest time," The wolf said to Cheesemaster, who knelt down and began scratching Mega Wolf's head. "Who's your little friend?"

"Edna," He said plainly. "I adopted him, and he's like a little brother to me."

He turned to Edna. "This is Mega Wolf, my friend."

"But she was a girl a moment ago," Edna whispered.

 

Blaze & Brian had also walked over and started petting the Wolf.

"She does that," Brian said.

"Come on-no other wolf will ever let you pet them," Blaze said.

"Can't I go into the hot spring?" Edna asked.

"Of course not," Mega Wolf said. "Unless you're a sanity. The spring is for sanities of the people who live on the ground to relax where The Grim Hamster Lord can't find them."

 

Blaze whispered to Brian, "Why's he call himself the Grim HAMSTER Lord, Brian?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," Brian responded. "He's a phoenix, not a hamster."

"But somehow The Grim Phoenix Lord doesn't sound as good. I'm not sure why."

 

"Sanities of people on the ground? Then I wonder..." Cheesemaster said, and he got back up, and walked around the Springs, looking at the various sanities relaxing, until he found the one.

 

"Of course," He said, looking into the spring, and poked the person sitting in it.

"Hmm?" Said a voice, and they turned around-it was PMM, and with him was Gamechamp, Arkcher's female sanity.

 

"Hey, you're not allowed over there," Lexx shouted, and Cheesemaster ran over, careful not to fall into the springs.

"Might as well," He muttered. "My glasses got fogged up."

 

"Actually, none of you are supposed to be here in the first place," Mega Wolf said. "Except Lexx & I because we work here, but even so."

"Alright, then," Taynio said. "We're should head back anyway. Cheesemaster, you need to get home, don't you?"

He nodded, and picked up Edna.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

"Are you sure you don't want to come stay at the University tonight?" Taynio asked Lexx as they were leaving the forest.

"I'm sure," The kitsune said. "Being alone in the woods helps me think well."

Taynio smiled. "Of course. That's what you were always best at."

Lexx sighed, and Taynio sighed as well.

"I'm still wondering why you hit me, though," Lexx said. "Have you calmed down now?"

 

Taynio said nothing, and after realizing he wouldn't get an answer, Lexx left Taynio alone.

 

----------------------------------------------

 

Taynio and the group walked to the airport to say goodbye to Cheesemaster and Edna after they'd gathered up their things from the University and ate dinner.

"I wish you wouldn't leave so soon," The twins lamented. "Keep in touch with us somehow, or visit us again really soon?"

"Alright," Cheesemaster said. "And maybe work on not letting me tell you two apart."

 

He said goodbye to Jesusfreak, and then Taynio finally, and he gave all of them a hug, as did Edna, and headed home on the plane.

 

"Did you have fun, Edna?" Cheesemaster asked his friend.

"I did-but did you?"

"I had a lot of fun. I think we ought to visit them again-and perhaps bring Dawn next time."

Edna laughed. "Why's that? Did you miss her that much?"

"Well, she's practically my other best friend. Of course I did-I talk to her every day."

Edna giggled. "Of course."

 

---------------------------------------------

 

The plan landed in Hamsterdam early the next morning, and the boys landed in the Port of Cheese just around 6-when Cheesemaster would normally be getting the papers for the day.

"Looks like we arrived at the perfect time," Cheesemaster said as he and Edna walked off the boat and stretched.

"Come on! Let's go home!" He shouted to Edna, and the two ran down to the house.

"My heart's pounding," Edna said as they opened up the door and went inside, and Cheesemaster fell onto the loveseat in front of the fireplace, and then got up to make some breakfast.

"Hurry up!" Edna said, laughing, and Cheesemaster laughed, too, asking his friend if they should bother going and selling papers today.

"Papers, or sleep?" He asked after explaining it, and said it over and over again until the two were sitting on the kitchen floor laughing uncontrollably, with some waffles and bacon cooking.

 

The two calmed down, and with huge smiles on their faces sat down to eat breakfast.

"I say we sell papers today, and we deliver one right to Rabbitt Manor so we can see Dawn!"

"And Rick and Sterling, maybe?"

"Maybe!"

"And it'll make Jakob mad!" Edna said, faux-waringly. The two started laughing again.

 

"Alright. Are you done? Let's go!!" Cheesemaster said, picking up Edna by the arms and swinging him. Edna laughed even harder now, and when they got outside Cheesemaster tossed him into the air and caught him.

"That was fun! Do it more often!!" Edna shouted, and Cheesemaster smiled. "OK, but not now. Let's go!"

 

Cheesemaster let Edna down, and the two held hands as they went to get papers, with Cheesemaster giving some to Edna to help sell-now a regular occurence.

 

The boys sold a few on their way to Rabbitt Manor, with talking and laughing (especially about high points of their trip) all the way.

Cheesemaster jumped up to the step of Rabbitt Manor, and knocked.

"Now my heart's pounding," He said under his breath.

"Who is it?" Said someone's voice, and the door opened to reveal Dawn.

"It's the paperboy, do you have .50H$?"

"Cheesie!!" Dawn shouted, and practically leapt towards him and hugged him as hard as they could. Cheesemaster was unfazed and hugged her back. She stepped back, and smiled. "You're back..."

"I know," He said, and handed her a paper. "It's for you."

Dawn took it and folded it under her arm. "Thank you," She said, standing on her toes. "Do you want to come in?"

Cheesemaster sighed, sadly this time. "I'd love to-so, so much. But we just got these papers and need to go sell them. Or else they'll be worthless."

 

Dawn looked genuinely hurt, and stood back on her feet.

"But we'll come see you right after we're done," He said excitedly. She looked up and smiled at him.

"That sounds wonderful," She said. He nodded.

"Come along, Edna-let's go sell these as quickly as we can!"

 

The boys ran down the steps, with Cheesemaster looking back and waving as much as possible. Dawn stood on the steps until he was no longer visible, and went back inside, melancholy.

[Mushroom_king]

[[i'm on a roll now.]]

 

 

Jakob's story

 

Continuing directly from where we left off, Cheesemaster & Edna had gone back into town to sell papers, promising Dawn that when they had sold as many as possible that morning, they would come back to see her for a little while and tell her all about their trip.

 

When they got back down to town, many people were already walking by and getting papers from them-with every paper sold, and every passing minute, both got more excited to see Dawn, especially Cheesemaster.

 

Eventually, it did come-the number of people coming by died down, and they'd sold a good chunk though not all of the papers. Cheesemaster put away the excess in the house, and spun around with Edna in his hands, shouting "We're going to Dawn's, Edna!!" And the two quickly ran towards the house.

 

Cheesemaster, heart pounding, knocked on the door.

"Coming!!" Yelled an excited voice, and the door opened to reveal Dawn, who smiled wide and grabbed Cheesemaster's arm and dragged him inside.

"Did you have a good trip?" She asked him excitedly as they walked, still clutching his arm.

"It was wonderful," he said, and started to describe it, but Dawn hushed him. "Wait until we sit down! Then we can-"

 

And, as usual, the towering figure of Jakob Rabbitt stood in front of them. He was in his summer clothes-forgoing his topcoat, hat, gloves, and cloak, and was wearing charcoal pants, white shirt, and a dark brown vest.

"H-Hi, Jakob," Dawn said.

Jakob looked at them, his arms folded, and then unfolded them. "Don't clutch his arm like that," He said sternly, and Dawn slowly let go of Cheesemaster.

"Where have you been, newsie?" He asked, his voice cold.

"On...I was on vacation."

"Really? Sounds good enough, but how could a newsie afford a vacation? Don't tell me you broke the bank just to take it. It'd be awful if you had to live in a poorhouse because you wanted to take a trip."

"As a matter of fact, that's not the situation-I had a lot of leftover money so I decided to take a break. I'm still getting along quite well."

"I'm sure you are," Jakob said, sarcastically. He turned to Dawn. "And where are you taking him?"

"I... was going to take both of them up to my room so they could tell me about their trip."

Jakob looked at Edna, which caused the orphan to shrink back in fear.

"So you'll be alone in your room with him?"

"And Edna."

Jakob heaved. "I'd rather not allow that, but if I deny it I'll have my brother to answer to."

 

He shoved Cheesemaster out of the way and walked away.

"Hold on-" Cheesemaster said, and Jakob turned his head.

"Jakob-is James older than you?"

 

Jakob turned around fully, and Cheesemaster noticed he was getting visibly upset.

"Yes," He said, sternly and gruffly, and then stomped away.

 

When he was gone, Cheesemaster picked up Edna, and looked at Dawn.

"What...why was he so upset?"

Dawn shrugged. "I'm not sure...I can't remember how old either of them are. Let's go," She said, and gently grabbed his arm and lead them all the way back to her room.

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

Dawn led the boys up to her room and let them in to the vast, purple-themed room, which hadn't changed very much-there were a few more posters of gothic anime characters and some heavy metal bands, which contrasted with the otherwise elegant room, which had been kept very tidy. Cheesemaster noticed a couch had been added on the opposite end of the room from the bed.

"I asked James to put a couch in here for when you come over," She explained.

Cheesemaster paused, and asked, "What about when...you know, when Mushroom or one of your other friends come over?"

 

Dawn folded her hands and looked at him, with a tiny smile. "Well, they don't really visit me as much as you do."

"Oh. I-I see," He said, and he turned pink.

Dawn laughed, and sat down on the couch, and motioned for the boys to sit with her.

"Tell me all about your trip," She said, he hands folded. Edna wriggled onto Cheesemaster's lap, as the two of them detailed the first couple details of the trip, eventually reaching the events from when Edna got lost. Cheesemaster didn't tear up when he told the story now, but his voice still cracked up a bit, and his voice got sadder.

 

"Are you alright?" Dawn asked, sounded extremely concerned. He looked up, into her eyes.

"Yeah," he said, and he gulped. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just keep remembering how I felt. I..."

"Don't remember," Dawn said, and she hugged him. "It's alright now, after all!"

"I know, I know."

 

Cheesemaster continued his account of what happened on the trip, up until their leaving the day before.

"Next time, we'll bring you!!" Edna shouted at the end. Dawn giggled.

"That's what Mr. Cheesemaster said," Edna said. "Right?"

Cheesemaster smiled at his friend. "I said that on the plane ride home," He said. "And hopefully, I can. Maybe bring Arkcher, too!"

Dawn sighed, and just stared at him for a while, and he stared back, wondering why.

 

Edna looked up at both of them, and tugged at their clothes. "What are you two doing?"

"Oh," Cheesemaster said, looking down at Edna. "I...I was wondering why Dawn was staring at me."

"Sorry," She said. "I was just..." She shook her head. "I don't remember. But now-"

 

She leaned over, and reached a hand towards his face-Cheesemaster leaned back a bit, but she simply pushed his glasses back up.

"Sorry," She said, and he blushed. "Thanks," He said, and they slipped again.

Dawn laughed, and adjusted them for him again.

"I'm sorry. Th-They don't do that, not normally," He said, and he took them off and cleaned the bridge,thinking there must be oil on it, and was about to put them back on, when Dawn stopped him.

 

"What is it?" He asked. She looked at him, and Edna did too, leaning back from his lap.

"Sorry," She said. "You look strange without them."

"You do!" Edna said. He turned to Dawn. "But I see him a lot without them."

"Why's that?" Dawn asked the boy.

"Because we sleep in the same room, and in the morning, he always wakes up, stretches in bed, tries to check the time, and then remembers his glasses."

"Is that true?" Dawn asked, and Cheesemaster was blushing.

"Edna, that only happened once...maybe twice..."

"You thought you'd gone blind!!" Edna said, laughing.

"That's not funny, Edna, I was scared because I thought my sight had gotten even worse!"

"How bad is it?" Dawn asked, and she slipped his glasses off his face and put them on, and looked around.

 

She turned back to the boys. "How do I look?" She asked.

"I don't know," Cheesemaster said plainly.

"You look kind of cute," Edna said.

Dawn looked at Cheesemaster, and quickly gave them back to him.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken them," She said.

"It's alright," he said. "What time is it?"

"Just around 4."

Cheesemaster leapt up, putting Edna on the ground. "Goodness-we need to get going!!"

Dawn leapt up as well, and as he walked quickly down the hallway, she apologized profusely.

"I'm sorry. I kept you late, and now you won't sell as much..."

"It's alright, really!!" He said, as they reached the front door. He was about to leave when he turned around and walked back in, up to Dawn.

"Cheese...?"

"Sorry. I almost forgot," He said, and he hugged her, and then left.

 

Dawn stood at the door for a while, her hands clasped, and her face sad although no one could see it.

"Dawn? Are you alright?" Said a voice, James', behind her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just miss him already."

 

-------------------------------------

 

After running down the Rabbitt Manor property, Cheesemaster began to walk more slowly, until they reached the house, where Cheesemaster sighed. The two walked inside, and ate a snack before getting back out to work.

 

"Are you alright, Mr. Cheesemaster?" Edna asked, seeing his friend looking down.

"I'm alright, Edna. I just-" He stopped himself, and swallowed. "I wish we could have spent more time at the Manor."

"Mr. Cheesemaster...?"

He sighed, and walked over to the fridge, where the drawing of him and Mushroom_king embracing was still up. He took it off, causing Edna to gasp, but all he did was turn it over and re-attach it.

"Mr. Cheesemaster?" Edna asked. "Are you alright?"

Cheesemaster walked over to the couch, in front of the seldom-used TV, and he laid down.

 

Edna, concerned, ran over and stood next to his friend, who climbed up onto the couch onto his friend's chest.

"Mr. Cheesemaster..."

The older of the boys suddenly sat up and wrapped his arms around Edna, squeezing him tightly.

"Nothing's wrong, Edna. In fact, I feel on top of the world!"

"Really? But you looked so sad!"

"I'm not sad at all, I'm a little down because we had to leave the Rabbitt Manor, like I said-" He was speaking increasingly faster. "-I just wish we could have stayed a lot longer!"

"Mr. Cheesemaster, you're acting so strange."

"Strange? I thought you of all people would notice first."

Edna blinked. "What's that?"

Cheesemaster sighed heavily, and leaned back into the couch cushions, looking at Edna.

 

"I've fallen in love with Dawn," He said quietly. He sighed again, and closed his eyes. "I think I did a while ago...but I've only just now realized. And it's wonderful, I've never felt so incredible in my whole life-" he said, his voice rising and getting faster as he spoke.

 

He looked away from Edna. "But that means-that means I have to tell her..." He turned back to Edna, looking terrified and anxious. "How can I do that? I'm so terribly....I'll stutter if I tried..."

"You could ask Arkcher," Edna suggested. "Or his dad!"

"That sounds good...but, we've wasted time! Work! Then I'll call Arkcher!!"

 

The two went outside, Cheesemaster tripping over himself, and anxiously sold more papers, desperate to see Dawn again, desperate to tell her but too shy to do it.

 

"There's a lot of people today," Cheesemaster said to Edna later on, sitting on the stoop to rest a little bit. Edna poked Cheesemaster, prompting a "What is it?" response-to which Edna pointed. Dawn was walked down the street, and running towards them.

 

Cheesemaster bolted up, much to Edna's amusement, and stood on the edge of the sidewalk, his heart racing as she neared them.

"Hi, Cheesie, Edna," She said, her hands clasped and bouncing on her toes.

"H-Hi, Dawn," Cheesemaster said, looking down into her face.

"Hello," She said quietly. "Normally I buy a paper, but you already gave me one earlier..."

"W-Well, I wouldn't want you wasting any money-" Cheesemaster stammered, and Dawn shook her head.

"No, I think it's best if I buy another. I could use it as wrapping paper!"

Cheesemaster blushed harder. "You...you would? You really don't need to-"

"I want to," Dawn said quietly, moving closer to him and nudging a paper away from his paperbag, and putting some money in his shirt pocket.

"Th-Th-Thanks," He said, and Dawn smiled.

 

"It's nothing!" Dawn said happily, and she walked away, looking back and waving several times as he had done earlier.

Cheesemaster stood there, staring into space, and then looked at Edna out of he corner of his eye.

"Her head was on my chest," He said quietly. "Do you think she heard my heartbeat...?" He wondered aloud.

Edna looked up at him, and tugged on his sleeve.

 

"What is it, Edna?"

"I...I just remembered something..." Edna said, near-whispering and sounding afraid.

"What is it??"

"Not only do you have to tell Dawn, but you'll have to tell Cheese Woman!"

 

As if right on que, the boys heard a loud "Cheesie-kun!!" From behind them, and Cheesemaster was practically tackled by the girl, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, Cheesie...you're finally back!! It felt like forever!! Did you have a good time?? Please bring me next time!!"

Cheesemaster squeezed himself out of her dearthgrip, and his heart felt as though it was about to pound directly out of his chest, and he looked at Edna with a look as though he were afraid for his life.

 

He sighed. "Hello, Cheese Woman."

"Awww, why do you sound so glum? Did you miss me, too? And all your friends? Why didn't you call me at all?? You know I have a phone!!"

"I'm sorry, Cheese Woman. It must have slipped my mind. I was really busy exploring and catching up to some old friends, you know-I didn't always have time to call home!"

Cheese Woman sighed. "Alright, then. Well, I can see you're really busy-I'll see you later!!" And she gave him another spine-crushing hug, and then leaped away.

 

Cheesemaster stood there, and then began to have a near-meltdown.

 

"Edna, what am I going to do?! Cheese Woman will be crushed if I told her, and what if she got REALLY upset, and tried to blackmail Dawn, or hurt me?"

"I don't think she'd be able to," Edna said, shrugging. "But I think she would be very sad..."

"I know, and she's my friend, even though, I hate to say it, she can be rather annoying sometimes. I wouldn't want her to be upset."

He got up, and stretched, sighing deeply. "I'll call Arkcher now-let's go."

 

The boys went inside, where Edna sat down on the couch, resting, and Cheesemaster went over to the phone installed in the wall, dialing Arkcher's number-which he had long had memorized.

After ringing, it picked up:

 

"Hello?"

"Arkcher?"

"Oh, Cheesemaster...No, it's Mushroom. Is something wrong?"

"Sort of. I needed some advice."

"Did you run into engineering problems again?"

"No, nothing of the sort...I...look, I'll tell you so long as you don't tell."

"Like When in Rome, I promise you I'll keep it."

Cheesemaster sighed. "I'm in love with Dawn."

There was no word from Mushroom for a moment.

"...Really?"

"Yes. I...I needed to know two things. One, what would be the best way to tell her, and second, how to tell Cheese Woman."

Mushroom_king thought for a few moments.

 

"Well, me and Dawn are very good friends-I could tell you for her."

"Thank you for the offer, but I'd rather tell her myself."

He heard her do a strange sighing laugh on the other line. "That's good. As for telling her..."

"How did you tell Arkcher?" He said quickly.

Another silence.

"I...well...when I'd decided to tell him, I was so shy about telling him in words, I learned a little acoustic guitar and played a song for him. He was really touched, even though he didn't know the song."

Cheesemaster sighed. "I'm not a musical type."

Mushroom thought for a little bit. "I've got it! I'm a music type, so of course I told him with a song. You're a reading type-why don't you lend her a book with a little note inside? It'd be really cute it if was a romance novel."

Cheesemaster smiled, and he suddenly felt very warm in his chest. "That sounds fantastic-plus, she's been meaning to borrow a book from me, although it's not a romance."

"Alright. I'll talk to you later, and tell Arkcher you said hello. And Cheeseman?"

"Yes?"

Mushroom paused. "Good luck. I know Dawn well and I think you two would be really wonderful together."

 

The warmth in his chest got stronger, and he sighed. "I think so, too. Thank you so much, Mushroom-you've been a wonderful help."

"Alright. Now I'm in the mood for Air Supply. See you."

 

He hung up the phone, stood there for a moment, and then grabbed a book off the shelf.

"What are you doing, Mr. Cheesemaster?" Edna asked, watching something on TV.

"Dawn's been meaning to borrow more of my books-she really enjoyed the Lovecraft book I lent her a few months back, and she says she wants to read more of his books."

"So you're lending her a Lovecraft book to tell her you love her?" Edna said, and he laughed. "That's very fitting!"

"But only the name," Cheesemaster said, and he sat at the kitchen table with a pen, writing a message inside the book.

 

"Come on, Edna," Cheesemaster said. "I'm going to drop this off."

Edna jumped up off the couch, shut the TV off, and joined Cheesemaster to go deliver the book.

[Mushroom_king]

[alright, probably the longest chapter to date...]

 

The boys walked outside, and Cheesemaster hugged the book to his chest, horribly excited, sighing and giggling and jumping around.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, you're usually much more reserved than this," Edna quipped.

Cheesemaster stopped and looked at the sky, sighing deeply. "Edna, I've never felt so ecstatic in my life. It's wonderful."

 

Edna laughed. "I guess I don't understand, huh?"

"You're five-of course not." He sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Come on! Walking is too slow!!" He said, and broke into a sprint.

"Wh-Wait up!" Edna panicked, running hastily to try and catch up with his friend.

 

Cheesemaster, once he was on the Rabbitt Manor premises, started to get out of breath, but refused to rest until he was at the front door, and knocked as hard as he could.

 

Jakob Rabbitt was the one to answer the door. The prosecutor looked down on him, and heaved.

"Yes, newsie...what is it this time?"

Cheesemaster leaned down, catching his breath. "Just a moment," He just barely said.

Jakob folded his arms. "Out of breath? I didn't think the walk from your house to here was that tough. Then again, maybe not for someone more in shape."

Cheesemaster, at first, felt anger welling up, but suppressed it knowing it wouldn't help him see Dawn.

"Please don't start, Jakob-I just need to see Dawn."

"You saw her earlier."

"But I-"

"Quit bothering her," Jakob said sternly, and slammed the door shut.

 

Cheesemaster stood there, and felt like crying.

"Don't bother her?..." he said quietly, his hands quivering. He was about to burst into tears when he heard her voice saying "I'm in the garden," and looked to see her at the yard's gate.

 

His heart skipped a beat, and he ran over to the gate, and sighed deeply.

"Sorry about Jakob. He's bothered by my seeing you so many times today."

"I'm sure," Cheesemaster said. "Here," He said, and handed her the book he had clutched so firmly.

"Oh? What is it?" She asked, looking at it. "Another book of Lovecraft stories?"

"That's right," He said. "I know you really liked the Cthulhu Mythos book I lent you. These-" He looked away from the book, and into her face- "These are some of his other stories."

"I can't wait to read them," She said happily.

"Just remember that some of them-"

"They're racist, I know," She said. "I don't mind. It's quite funny actually, because it seems so old-fashioned."

He moved a bit closer to the gate, so he was almost directly in front of her.

"I...I guess I'd better get going," He said, sadly, but Dawn reached her arm out and grabbed his shoulder, causing his heart so skip.

 

"No, please! James permitted me to eat in the courtyard tonight. Jakob threw a huge fit about it, so I probably won't be able to ever do it again. Why..." She gulped, and Cheesemaster felt warmth welling up in his chest and throat.

"Join you? Is that what you're asking?" Cheesemaster suddenly blurted. He turned a deep red.

She nodded, and smiled warmly. "That's right," She said, and was about to open the gate when the back door opened. It was James.

 

"I'm sorry, Dawn, but you'll have to come in. Jakob's so upset about you eating on your own." He stepped out a little more, and smiled. "Hello, Cheesemaster."

"Hello, James," He said, smiling, though his face was full of sadness.

"Oh..." Dawn said, and sighed. "I'm sorry, Cheesie. Maybe another time!"

She took the book, and clutching it to her chest, walked inside, deeply upset.

Cheesemaster sighed deeply, and walked away from the mansion, also deeply upset.

 

The boys walked home, Cheesemaster trudging along.

"Don't feel so sad," Edna said, trying to cheer him up. "I mean, you'll see her tomorrow! And just think-if she reads a lot, maybe she'll know you love her by tomorrow morning!"

"That's what I keep thinking about," He said. "I'm so scared of when she finds out...what will she think?"

"It'll be alright," Edna said. "I know it."

"If you say so," Sighed Cheesemaster, as the two went inside their house.

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

Back at Rabbitt Manor, after dinner, Dawn settled into one of the living rooms to read her book, clueless as to the secret message inside.

An enormous fire in the fireplace, which had a large portrait of some distant Rabbitt grandparent over it.

 

"Good night, Dawn," James said as he walked past her, and went upstairs.

"Good night, James," She said without looking up from her book.

James stopped as he was walking, and went back down, standing over the chair she sat in.

 

"That's the book he gave you, isn't it?"

"He's letting me borrow it," She sighed, and pushed the open book to her chest, sighing happily and deeply.

James laughed. "Alright. Don't stay up too late reading."

"I won't. Thank you."

James walked upstairs to go to bed, leaving her alone.

 

Cheesemaster had been unsure of where to put the message-he decided on the beginning of the third story in the book, The White Ship-it was the only Lovecraft story he felt comfortable putting a love letter on.

 

Dawn managed, the one night, to read through the entire first story, which she enjoyed; she read a little bit of the second, and then decided she was too tired to carry on, and went to sleep with the book under her pillow.

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

The next day Dawn woke up, and the first thing she did was grab the book from under the pillow, and toted it downstairs to breakfast so she could get some reading done after the family ate.

 

As she did, she saw out the windows that it was cloudy-the weather looked like it was going to start raining very soon. She sighed. That was good her her, since the sun wouldn't hurt her, but if there was rain she might not be able to see Cheesemaster.

Cheesemaster! she thought-he'll have to work in the rain today!

I guess I should see him She thought. He'll probably want some company if it rains during his shift. Does he even work when it rains?

 

Dawn sat down for breakfast and ate, her family fairly quiet; Jakob was curiously missing. Dawn thought him a hypocrite for missing breakfast when he made such a fit over her missing dinner the night before.

 

When they dispersed, she tucked her book in her dress pocket, and went out to see Cheesemaster before her reading time, and took an umbrella with her just in case it began to rain.

 

When she got to his house, he was just coming back from having gotten papers that day-

so he does work on rainy days

-and smiled wide when he saw her coming and ran towards her.

 

"Good morning, Dawn!!" He said loudly and happily.

"Good morning, Cheese."

He breathed fast and heavily as he looked into her eyes, and tiptoed a bit closer to her.

"How...how are you?" He asked, and began to blush. His heart raced at possibilities-had she already found his message? "How are you liking that book?"

"It's great. I just began the second story last night. I expect I'll begin reading the third and fourth today."

His heart jumped in his chest at the mention of the third story.

"Oh," He said, relieved and yet even more anxious. "Well, I think you'll really like those ones."

"Are you really working today? It looks as though it'll rain!"

"If it does, I still have to sell."

"But a wet newspaper is worthless," She said quietly.

"I know, but I'll have to take the chance," He said quietly.

"Alright," Dawn said, just as quietly. The two stared at each other for a bit, and then Dawn, awkwardly, said goodbye and walked off.

As she did, Cheesemaster sighed, watching her walk away.

"She's really wonderful," He said softly, and sighed.

"You should really stop sighing. I don't think that's very good for you."

"I'm sorry, Edna....I just can't help it...."

Edna giggled. "Well, come on-let's sell as many of these as we can before it rains!"

Cheesemaster nodded, and the two began to shout the day's headlines, as more grey clouds rolled in.

 

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Back at Rabbitt Manor, Dawn had settled into the living room to read, and barely noticed when rain began to pound onto the windows of the mansion, completely caught up in the horror story she read.

 

She neared the end of the second story, when Jakob Rabbitt came slinking in. Of course, Dawn didn't hear him.

"What are you reading?" He muttered, standing over her, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"Jakob, I didn't even..."

"I asked, what are you reading?"

Dawn gulped. "An anthology of horror stories by H.P. Lovecraft, an American writer." She omitted the fact that Cheesemaster had lent the book to her. She looked at the book. "I wonder if back home these stories happened alongside..."

 

Jakob snatched the book out of her hands and flipped through the pages, reading bits and pieces and skimming through paragraphs.

"Who did you say wrote this again?" He asked, shutting it.

"H.P. Lovecraft, an American writer from Maine."

"Then it's a piece of garbage," Jakob said, and chucked the book into the fireplace.

 

Dawn gasped and ran over, staring in vain at the black, crumpling pages of the book.

"If it's an American than it's no good," Jakob muttered.

Dawn began to cry, and stood up, pounding on Jakob's chest and clutching at his shirt and vest.

 

"That...that wasn't mine, Jakob!" She said, and the words came tumbling out. "Cheesemaster lent me that book last night, Jakob!! I...I was supposed to return it to him! It wasn't my book! And even if it was, you can't just throw it in the fire like that!"

"Shut up, Dawn. If it was so important, by another one for your sweet little newsie."

Dawn began to sob into her hands, and Jakob groaned.

"Why do you spend so much time with him, Dawn?" Jakob yelled at her.

"He's my friend," Dawn whispered.

"Your friend? Why would you choose him as your friend, Dawn?"

"What's so terrible about him, Jakob?! What's so bad about him?"

"I'm so sorry, Dawn, but as your caretaker I don't particularly want you spending your time with a chubby, penniless newsie who can barely see and seems to spend more time reading worthless books than he does making a living and seems to have no regard for what your family wants! Dawn, he's...he's a cheese, dammit!!"

 

"I don't care, Jakob!" Dawn shouted, and sniffed. "He's the best friend I've ever had...I...."

"Don't you shout at me-"

Dawn sniffed again, and bolted out the door of the Rabbitt Manor.

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Dawn ran through the field around her house, and into the town, sobbing every step of the way, until she saw the dim figure of Cheesemaster standing on the corner by his house, holding an umbrella. Edna must have been inside. She stopped to catch her breath, and then ran again.

 

She tackled him, and flung her arms around him, nearly causing him to drop the umbrella.

"Dawn?! What's wrong?" He said, his heart thumping faster and faster.

Her head is on my chest her arms are around me what's going on

"He burnt it," Dawn sobbed. "The book you gave me, Jakob threw it in the fire, I'm so, so sorry!!"

"He..." Cheesemaster gasped. "Dawn...how far did you get?!"

"Why are you worried about that?"

"Please, just tell me!"

Cheesemaster took the handkerchief out of his shirt pocket and wiped away at Dawn's eyes, and lent it to her to use for a bit.

"I...I was just about to finish the second story..."

Cheesemaster groaned. "Oh...no, no, no, no, no!! NO!"

"What is it?"

And soon, the words just fell out: "That means you never got the message! I wrote you a message in the third story that I wanted you to see!! It-" He stopped himself before he said more.

Dawn squeezed him tighter. "What did it say?"

Cheesemaster sighed, and looked away from her. "It...well..."

 

He dropped the umbrella to the ground, and wrapped his arms around her as well.

"It was a message. I..." He took his arms off of her, and sighed, and then looked at her again.

"Come on, you can tell me," Dawn said, moving closer to him.

He sighed once more, and then, with no warning, threw his arms around her.

"I love you, Dawn; that's what it said."

Dawn looked up at him, and his face was sad, almost hurt. He fell away from her arms and turned around.

 

"I...I'm sorry, Dawn. I just needed to tell you. You probably think I'm an idiot for saying it. I...I understand if you don't..."

"Cheesie," She said, grabbing his arm. "I don't think you're an idiot for saying so. Come here."

He turned around, and walked back over to her, wondering what she wanted. He'd almost expected her to slap him after he told her.

 

"Tell me again what you told me in the message," She said.

He blushed slightly, and said, quietly, "I love you."

She smiled wide, and threw herself onto his chest.

"You do?!" She said excitedly. He looked at her, confused, but nodded.

"He loves me," She whispered. She buried her face into his shirt, and hugged him tightly. "You love me!!"

"What of it?"

"Are you really asking me that?" She said, looking up at him. "I love you!"

Cheesemaster gasped, and before he knew it his glasses fogged up and he turned a faint red.

"Y-you do?" he thought for a moment, and then grinned. "Of course! It make sense!!"

 

He threw his arms around her once again, and held her as tightly as he could. "I can't believe this," He whispered.

"Neither can I," She replied, and the two stood very quietly as the rain fell around them.

"I've been dreaming of this moment for months," He whispered, and then backed away from her.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worried.

 

"I'm wondering...why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you like me? I mean-" He sighed, and grabbed his arm, looking at the ground. "I'm a chubby, awkward newsboy who makes barely anything at my job, wears glasses, I stutter, and my skin-" He folded his arms, almost in shame. "I don't understand why..."

Dawn looked at him, and closed her eyes, before throwing herself into his arms.

"What are you talking about?" She said, nearly angry. "All those things make you cute."

"Cheese-skin isn't..." He stopped for a moment. "You think I'm cute?"

Cheesemaster often said he found himself attractive, but was genuinely surprised when other people (especially a girl) said he was cute. He found himself speechless, until the rain started pouring down harder.

 

"Come on, let's go inside the house. You can't walk back home in the rain."

"Alright, but what if Jakob comes looking for me?"

"It'll be alright. I promise."

Dawn looked at him, and nodded. She clutched his arm and the two went inside.

 

----------------------------------------------------------

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster? Are you coming inside already?" Edna shouted. He was lying on the carpet with a coloring book and a few broken crayons and stuffed toys next to him.

"Nobody was going to come by in the light rain, and it's pouring now. Besides, I needed to get Dawn inside."

Edna sat up, looking towards the doorway. Cheesemaster left the soaking umbrella in a holder by the doorway (where Edna's umbrella and their rainboots were left as well). Dawn was still clutched to his arm.

 

"I see," Edna said quietly, and put his toys into a basket by the TV. "So I guess we're eating early?"

"Perhaps," Cheesemaster said, sitting down on the couch with Dawn.

"Do you two want some towels?" Edna asked.

"Yes, but I'll go get-"

"No, I'll go get 'em," Edna said, and he ran into the bathroom to get some.

 

"He did that so we could have alone time," whispered Cheesemaster.

Dawn let go of his arm and put her arms around his neck, and sighed. He sighed with her, and put his arms around her waist.

"Here are the towels!" Edna said, walking back in, and the two quickly took their arms off each other, with Dawn laying her head on Cheesemaster's shoulder.

Edna took the two towels and handed them to the couple, both of which stood up and dried their clothes as best as possible.

 

Dawn sighed as she vainly dried off her dress. Cheesemaster seemed as if he was about to say something, but blushed and said nothing.

"What's wrong?" She asked, looking at him.

"Nothing."

"No, what was it?"

"Well, I was going to suggest that we could dry your clothes for you," He said, and he blushed harder. "But that's not really a very proper thing to say, now is it?"

"You could lend me some of your clothes," She suggested.

He gasped, and, if it was possible, blushed even more. "I'd rather not."

"And why not?" She said, secretly thrilled at the prospect of wearing his clothes.

"I'm...I'm a bit strange about letting others wear my clothes. I'm afraid of how they'd fit on other people."

Dawn laughed, and threw her arms around his waist. "I wouldn't mind if they don't fit me..."

"But Dawn, they'd look huge on you. They'd feel huge on you. That'd be embarrassing."

"Please, Cheesie...."

 

She buried her head into his chest, and he wondered if she could hear his rapid heartbeat.

He put his arms around her neck, and rubbed his face in her hair.

"Fine, then," He said, sounding sad but sounding happy at the same time. "I'll get some food started. Do you think you can find some clothes on your own?"

"I should manage," She said.

 

Dawn glanced at the sign on his room and went inside, while Cheesemaster went to prepare food for them. The rain was still going strong outside.

 

Dawn shut the door to Cheesemaster's room, and before she went to get clothes, she leaped onto his bed and rolled around excitedly. The bed was so comfortable, and it was a bed big enough for two.

She rose up, and went over to the closet. That must have been where his shirts and pants all were.

 

Inside the closet there were no shirts, nor pants, only jackets; his brown and grey jackets and roundabouts, along with his black trench coats for the winter, and some vests she had never seen him wear.

"What's this?" She said, fingering through the various coats until she found one that didn't feel like cotton, tweed, or any other material he usually sported. This jacket felt smooth. She tugged on it, and pulled it out.

 

Among the scholarly-looking grey, brown, and black coats, here was a black leather jacket. She examined it for a moment, and not only did it smell like leather, but the tag inside the coat said it was real leather.

 

"Cheesie wears leather?" She whispered, and she laughed, imagining why he'd ever want a leather jacket. "Perhaps I'll ask him about it."

 

She put the leather jacket away and shut the closet door, moving over to his dresser, where she guessed she kept most of his clothes. She started with the middle drawer, where she found several white shirts, all long-sleeved; if he got too hot he would just unbutton and roll up the sleeves.

 

Outside, Cheesemaster had already started up baking some bread and toasting things to make sandwiches, and a pot on to make soup. He walked by his room, wondering what Dawn was doing, on his way to the study to get something.

 

As she looked into his shirt drawer, she said "My, they all look the same!!", just audible enough for him to hear. He stopped, looked toward his room, and nearly burst in saying "No, they don't! Each is different in its own way!!"

 

He didn't, and went into his study, where nearly every book was kept, so he could look up the soup recipe he was using, since he'd forgotten some parts of it.

 

Dawn looked through the shirts, all carefully folded, and decided that she'd just use one on the very top. She carefully took it out, and went to place it on the bed, when she stopped.

This was his shirt; he'd worn it. For some reason, this was extremely exciting to her, and she hugged it before putting it on the bed.

She pushed the drawer in and then opened the bottom one, which contained pants. One one side were the regular pants, and then his shorts; unlike the shirts, each of these looked different in some way. She looked through these, and settled on a pair of long brown pants.

 

She was about to change, when she realized that Cheesemaster himself needed some suspenders to keep them up, and if she wore them, when they were too big for her, she'd really need some.

 

She looked back over at the dresser, where there were a few small drawers above the big ones. She went over, and decided that he must store all his suspenders in one of the drawers.

 

She opened up the first, and found socks and gloves; all his socks were either knee-llength or went just above the ankles, and were either white or brown. His gloves were also leather, she figured out, and were black or brown. She didn't need either of these, so she closed it and opened the next drawer, which had his undergarments in it, and she closed it quickly.

 

She opened the next, and as she expected, there were about three pairs of suspenders, all brown-two were button-on, and one was clip-on. Along with the suspenders there was the black scarf he wore in the winter, and some handkerchiefs, each of which had various designs. One showed the Japanese countryside on it, and each had that strange thing sewn into the fabric-ニール.

 

She took out the clip-on suspenders and tosses them onto the bed, and then looked at a rack standing next to the dresser-which had another black scarf, his favorite brown coat, and his newsboy caps.

 

She walked over, and slipped out of her soaked, black dress, and carefully placed it on the bed, hoping it wouldn't get the bed too wet, and she put on his shirt and pants, and hastily attached the suspenders. She adjusted them to fit her better, and then walked out, with her dress in hand.

 

Edna was walking by, and offered to take her dress and get it dry. Dawn handed it to him, despite the dress being bigger than him.

 

Dawn walked into the living room, as Cheesemaster was in the kitchen putting down the soup and sandwiches he had made, and Edna was putting away the dress to dry, and Dawn was getting used to the clothes she was wearing.

 

Cheesemaster walked out of the kitchen to tell the other two that it was time to eat, and ran into Dawn instead.

 

"I'm so sorry," He said quickly, his arms on her waist, and he looked her up and down as she tucked in the shirt.

"How does it look?" Dawn said quietly. "You were right...your clothes are a bit big on me."

"It looks fine!" Cheesemaster blurted. "You look..."

The two looked at each other for a while, not saying a word, until Cheesemaster gulped and said quietly "You look cute, even."

 

Dawn sighed and looked away. "As cute as my dress?"

He turned her head back to him, and leaned down towards her face. "They both look fine to me, but the dress is better for you."

She sighed and threw her arms around him, and put her face into his chest, sighing happily.

 

Edna stood behind them, and coughed, Dawn lifted her head, and the two of them looked at the boy, who tried to look innocent.

"Mr. Cheesemaster, you just finished dinner, but it looks like you already forgot," He said.

"Edna," Cheesemaster said sternly. "That doesn't sound like something you'd say!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cheesemaster. Do you still want me to eat with you two?"

"Of course I do!" Cheesemaster said, moving away from Dawn to stand over Edna and talk to him. "Come on then. Dawn can sit next to me, since Edna always sits across from me!"

"That sounds great," Dawn said excitedly, and all three of them went into the kitchen and sat down with the soup and sandwiches.

[Mushroom_king]

The three sat down at the table in the kitchen, and Cheesemaster handed a napkin, sandwich, bowl of soup, and a glass to all of them-tea for Dawn and Cheesemaster, and some water for Edna. Outside, the rain poured even harder down, and the droplets splattered upon a small window in the kitchen.

 

As he ate, Cheesemaster stared out that window, watching the rain, and Dawn, after finishing her food, looked over at him and touched his shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

He said nothing for a moment, and continued to stare out the window, Dawn moved her chair closer to him, and was about to ask again, when he suddenly said something.

"My father told me that it was a night just like this that he told my mother he loved her,"

Dawn and Edna looked at each other, and then at Cheesemaster. This was unusual for him.

He sat up and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be talking like that."

"No, go on," Dawn said. "I don't hear you talk about your parents often...or ever, to be honest."

"Well, that's about all I know," He said, and thought for a moment. "My...my father took her home after some fancy party and told her. He was about to run out in embarrassment when my mother stopped him and told him she felt the same."

 

Dawn sighed, and Edna looked at him in wonder.

"That's a cute story," Edna said.

"I guess so," He said. Dawn looked at him, and then said "Wait, didn't your glasses belong to them both?"

Cheesemaster put a hand up to his glasses, as if about to take them off. "Yeah," He said. "My mother gave them to my father."

"That's cute, too," Dawn said quietly.

 

"I'm tired," Edna said, stretching. "I'm going to bed, ok?"

"Alright, Edna. Good night."

"Good night, Edna," Dawn said, and Edna pushed himself off the chair, put away his dishes, and then went into the bedroom. He carefully shut the door behind him.

 

"We're alone now," Dawn whispered, and Cheesemaster nodded, and said, barely containing excitement, "I know!"

The two got up, and Cheesemaster grabbed her arm and led her over to the couch.

"Cheesie?"

"It's alright. Let's sit on the couch,"

Cheesemaster sat on the couch, and Dawn sat down next to him, as close as possible to him. As soon as she did, she put her arms around him, and he put his arms around her.

 

"I'm so glad this is happening," Dawn whispered, placing a hand on his head and fingering through his curly hair.

"I am, too," He whispered back.

 

Dawn leaned forward, so much that Cheesemaster fell onto the couch, and she was on top of him; she lifted herself up and looked down at him, with one hand on his shoulder and the other clutching his shirt.

"I'm sorry," She said. "This is..."

He sat up as best as he could, situating her on his lap.

"I don't think that was..."

"I was fine," He said quickly, and then blushed. "I-I don't mean anything by that-"

"You were?" She asked, laying an arm on his shoulder, and the other near his ears. "I wasn't too heavy?"

"Not at all," He murmured. "Not at all too heavy."

"But it feels weird," She said. "Laying...Laying on top of you."

"I think it'd be worse if I laid on top of you," He said quietly. "Besides, I wouldn't do that to you."

"Why?" She said, and then blushed. "I don't mean anything by that, I'm just asking."

He looked away from her, and frowned. "You're rather light, but I....I'm a lot heavier."

"You're probably not as heavy as you say."

"Do you think you'd know better than I would?"

She said nothing. He smiled, and put one arm around her waist and one on her head, and leaned in closely to her.

"Let's not argue, alright?"

"Alright," She said.

 

Dawn closed her eyes and moved closer, but before she met his face he'd moved away.

"Is something wrong?" She asked. "Or are you just shy?"

"I'm not shy," He said defensively. "I...I'm not used to this."

"I see," She said quietly.

She moved even closer to him, so their legs were touching, and slowly put her head on his shoulder.

"Cheesie, I'm scared," She whispered, putting her arms on his shoulders.

"Why's that?" He said, worried.

"If Jakob finds out about this," She said, and held him tighter. "I...I don't even want to think about it."

"Then don't," He said quietly. "I don't want to see you afraid."

Dawn sighed.

 

"Dawn, I still don't understand how you find me attractive," He muttered.

Dawn looked up at him, gently touched his face, and looked into his eyes.

Cheesemaster's heart pounded, and his thoughts raced. What are you doing? Is...is she going to kiss me?

 

"I think everything about you is cute," She said. "But I think what I like most about you is your mind...you're so smart, and interesting...and such a gentleman..."

He put his hand over hers, the one that was on his face. "Oh, come on," He said, blushing. "You're only saying that."

"Why would I only say that?" She said defensively. "Do you think I would tell just anyone that?"

 

Her hand fell away from her face, and both their hands clasped together and fell down, landing on the couch, as Dawn leaned closer to him. "I meant every word I just said, and anything I say about you, I mean entirely!"

She leaned closer to him, as he leaned away from her, and her head eventually fell onto his stomach.

 

Cheesemaster sighed deeply, but didn't move.

"I'm sorry," He said quietly. "I shouldn't say something like that."

"Your stomach is so comfortable," She said, and put a hand on his waist.

"You think so?" He said, and he blushed softly. "I guess....I guess that makes sense."

She snuggled her face in his stomach, and put her arms around his waist.

"You're so squishy..."

"That's a kind way of saying I'm fat," He said disdainfully.

She stopped moving her head, and sighed, feeling relaxed.

"Does that bother you?" She asked. "I...I didn't mean to insult you..."

"I'm not insulted," He said, though he sounded quite insulted. "But I am wondering why you find me so attractive, still...I mean...girls don't like chubby guys..."

"I don't see why not," She said. "You're so much better to hug."

"Oh, come on. There's nothing good about it."

"I think so! I...I think it makes you so much cuter..."

"Cuter? How can that be cute?"

"You just are," She said, and she looked at him-his glasses and suspenders slipping, the confused look on his face, and the pink tint in his cheeks...

Dawn leaned up, her hands on his legs to boost herself up, and when she had, she put her hands on his face and moved in very closely to him.

 

Oh My God she is He thought, and his heart felt as though it would pound right out of his chest. Realizing what was happening, he leaned in closer and shut his eyes, and felt the caress of her mouth on his own...

 

At the worst, absolute worst possible moment, a loud and heavy knock came at the door.

Dawn moved away from him, and both suddenly felt very afraid; despite this, Cheesemaster was desperate to get that kiss that had been nabbed away at the last possible moment.

Dammit, He though bitterly.

"Jakob," Dawn whispered. "I recognize his own knock."

Cheesemaster got up, despite his entire body feeling more like jelly than cheese.

"Cheesie...?"

"Dawn, I can't let you stay the night here...I...I'm so sorry..."

"I understand," She said. "Please come see me tomorrow."

 

The knock was heard again, and Cheesemaster looked towards the door; shakily, he went over and opened it.

 

As Dawn had said, the figure of Jakob Rabbitt was there; He loomed over him, and stared down at him.

"Is Dawn here?" He asked, menacingly.

"She is," Cheesemaster said, very sadly. "She ran here a while ago-she was deeply upset and needed some consolation. She's fine now."

"She ought to be," Jakob snapped. "She missed dinner because she was too busy here. What a deep shame-forgoing time with her own family in order to spend the night at a newsie's house. If you can call it that."

"I'm sorry. I doubt it matters, but she ate here."

 

Jakob sneered at him, but changed the subject. "So newsie, I assume she came running into your arms about how I burned your precious book?"

His heart skipped at 'running into your arms'. Did he know?

 

"That's right," Cheesemaster said.

Jakob laughed. "I'm sorry. It didn't occur to me at the time that you wouldn't have enough money to replace it."

"I have plenty of money to replace it," Cheesemaster replied. "I'm not as poor as you think I am."

"Of course, of course," Jakob said, sounding very snarky as he did. "I guess I don't give you enough credit, do I? Of course. After all, you can spend money on boats to the mainland and such. But how do I know that doesn't break the bank with you?"

 

By this point, Cheesemaster had had enough of it. "If you came here to get Dawn, take her and leave! I'm sick of listening to you!!!"

He regretted saying it almost the instant it left his mouth-it sounded as though he wanted to get rid of Dawn. Of course that wasn't the case; he only wanted to get rid of Jakob.

 

"Of course," Jakob said smugly. "Of course, I'll take my leave now."

Cheesemaster only just then realized that perhaps Jakob had purposely enraged him so he could get Dawn. He felt particularly foolish for this, and regretted it even more than he already did.

 

"I'm so sorry, Dawn," He said as he went over to her.

"It's fine," She said, smiling sadly. "I would have to leave soon anyway."

Cheesemaster was about to grab her hands, but then realized that Jakob might notice, and put them behind his back instead, and opted to simply give her a quick hug-even this elicited a negative response from the prosecutor.

"Dawn, hurry up," He said, nearly through gritted teeth.

"Goodbye," Cheesemaster said, sadly, and silently mouthed 'I love you' to her as she left.

 

The door slammed shut as Jakob practically dragged Dawn to a carriage, and scolded her the entire ride to the Rabbitt Manor.

"Your sisters thought you had run away," He said sternly. "I think you would know better than to make Julia so worried. It's not that good for her health, after all, and of course you know how your younger sister gets when she's upset."

"I wouldn't have run out if you hadn't burned that book," Dawn said.

"Don't pin this on me, young lady," Jakob argued. "You could have just dealt with it."

"Dealt with you destroying my friend's property?"

"Dawn, I had to," He said, sounding unusually sincere. "Things like that will poison your mind. I already deal with Julia's possession, Sterling's summoning, and all of us had to go through your transformation into a bloodsucker."

"I am not a bloodsucker!!" Dawn snapped.

 

Jakob folded his arms and legs and sat back.

"You're a vampire, and all vampires are bloodsuckers in my eyes. But no matter. Your transformation into one caused your entire family to become worried sick!! And do you remember why that happened? Because you were so curious about someone...and because of things you'd heard about. Do you think I want to see more awful things happening to you?"

"Nothing bad is going to happen to me! And I didn't become this way because of any curiosity of mine!"

"Don't get that kind of tone with me, Dawn! I just want you raised like a proper member of the Rabbitt family."

"What do you want me to do, Jakob? Stay locked up in my room every hour of the day and marry a cousin or something?"

Jakob sighed deeply. "You're not understanding me, Dawn. I'm tired of explaining this to you."

"I am, too," She said.

 

The two were silent for the rest of the carriage ride, refusing to look at each other. When they reached the Manor, Jakob practically pulled the girl out from the carriage and, again, dragged her back inside.

 

When the two got inside, Dawn was about to run upstairs, when Jakob sternly told her,

"I'll be making sure you don't see him tomorrow."

Dawn spun around, her heart thumping. "What?!"

"I don't want you seeing him anymore."

 

Dawn ran back down the stairs, right up to Jakob, breathing hard. She wasn't that worried, she told herself, but Jakob had a lot of power and could keep her from seeing Cheesemaster.

"You can't do that to me," She said, shaking her head. "You...you can't do that to me!!"

"I most certainly can, Dawn. Your sister and I are your surrogate parents, and since she is unable to properly make decisions concerning you-" He nearly smirked at this- "It is up to me."

"I'll never view you as my father," She said, sternly, her shoulders arching up as her fists balled up. "I won't even see you as a father figure."

Jakob did smirk this time. "You may not like it, but it is true. And I don't want you seeing him."

"You can't keep me from seeing him!" She shouted, standing defiantly. "Not in any way can you!!"

"We'll see about that," Jakob said. He put his top coat and hat on the rack by the huge double doors, and was himself about to head to bed, when he stopped.

 

"Why are you intent on seeing that newsie again?"

Dawn's heart thumped.

"He's good company," Dawn said. "I already told you. He's my friend. I could even call him my best."

"Hmph," He said. "You've done awfully with your choice of 'best friend'. And with your voice of friends in general," He said, and sighed. "I can only hope when you get married..."

Dawn shook her head as he talked about it. "Why do you hate him so much, Jakob? He never did a thing to you besides beat you in those sword duels."

Jakob swung around. "How can you not understand? Even back home you knew how much the dam newsboys irritated me! There was one just by our house, constantly yelling headlines...and this one...Dawn, how can you bother spending time with a chee-"

"Jakob! I love him!"

 

Jakob stared dumbfounded at her. The angry expression melted away from his face, his eyes growing wide, and his mouth slowly dropping. After but a few moments of this rarity, his face twisted into an expression of unfathomable anger; he was completely livid, and everything that came out of his mouth was a scream.

 

"The newsie? You're in love with that heathen? You cannot be serious!! YOU CANNOT BE...YOU...THAT...the goddamn newsie!" Most of what he was screaming became unintelligible.

 

"What is going on down here?" Shouted James, who came downstairs with Julia-both had been woken up. Richard and Sterling hid behind the two adults, terrified.

 

Jakob glared at Julia. "Your sister," He shouted, "Your awful sister is in love with the newsie."

Julia stared at him. "You mean the one with the glasses?"

"The exact same," Jakob said. "She loves him. She's was at his house while we ate as a family, doing God knows what-"

"What are you implying, Jakob?" Dawn shouted.

"Please, no more shouting," James said, running down the stairs to Jakob. "Of course she loves him, Jakob, I'm shocked you never noticed before."

"It's disgusting," He said. "It's a shame to her own family name."

"I am not shaming my name," She said. She backed away and folded her arms, and she felt like crying-but refused to.

"Jakob, you are overreacting."

"Overreacting? You think I want to see the closest thing I have to a daughter falling for a person like him? He has no money to support her, prefers his books to contact with other people-"

"He makes plenty of money," Dawn said. "He gets by very well for someone who lives on his own with a five-year-old to take care of. And he has plenty of friends! You make it seem like he only spends time reading and doing nothing else!"

"-Atrocious eating habits. I guess the two of you are perfectly matched for that, hah!"

"What does that have to do with anything, and why does it matter?" Dawn shouted.

"Dawn, this family has raised you as a good Christian...even after your transformation. That boy, he's a heathen-"

 

"He is not a heathen," She said.

"Not a heathen? He doesn't even believe in God," Jakob shouted.

"He has better morals than you!!!" Dawn screamed, clutching at her hair.

Jakob gasped, and the others, save James, were taken aback as well.

"Don't you talk to me like that," Jakob said, very quietly and dangerously.

"I'm sorry if you don't approve," Dawn said softly. "I love him. And he loves me back."

Jakob stared at her, that surprised look back on his face.

How dare he, he thought, but decided not to say it.

"I'm exhausted," Jakob said. "We'll discuss this in the morning, young lady."

 

And thus, after an unhappy night, the Rabbitt Family finally went to bed.

[Mushroom_king]

The next morning, an unhappy Cheesemaster very unhappily made breakfast for himself and Edna.

 

"Mr. Cheesemaster...? Are you alright?"

Cheesemaster sighed. "Her...her lips. They...i felt them...just the lightest little caress of them...and then it was gone. Oh my goodness..."

Edna looked at his friend. "I...I don't..."

"I almost kissed her, Edna," Cheesemaster said. His glasses fell to the edge of his nose, but he didn't bother pushing them up. He sighed deeply.

 

"I'm so worried she'll get in some awful trouble," He said quietly. "It'll be my fault if she does....I..."

"Don't talk like that," Edna said. "It'll be fine. She'll probably visit you today."

"Yeah, that is if Jakob hasn't locked her up in her own room and melted the key," Cheesemaster said.

 

He finished cooking breakfast-bacon and pancakes-and sat down, with his plate mostly covered with bacon.

"Perhaps your favorite food will cheer you up?" Edna said, looking at the plate.

"Yeah," Cheesemaster sighed, and Edna looked down at his pancake. He took his fork, and stabbed it into a few spot on the pancake, and then showed it to Cheesemaster.

 

Cheesemaster looked over at it, and saw that Edna had made a crude smiley face on the top of the pancake.

He smiled a little bit, and sighed again. "Thanks, Edna," He said; he wondered if Edna could act any cuter.

 

A huge breakfast later, the boys left the house to go get papers for the day. The ground had dried up completely from the rain yesterday, and the sun was out. It felt like summer finally.

 

The boys walked down the street, Cheesemaster trying not to be sad, if only for the sake of his young friend, but he found it to be harder than he thought. His thoughts constantly returned to Dawn.

 

"When we get back," He said, as they got their papers for the day, "Remind me and I'll call Arkcher for some consolation."

"Okay," Edna replied simply. "I'm sure talking with him can ease your mind a bit."

Cheesemaster nodded, and they were quiet the rest of the way home.

 

The two got back to their house, and Edna offered to start selling while Cheesemaster talked. Of course, the older of the two declined-but Edna insisted, and Cheesemaster had no choice but to do so.

 

He went inside, grabbed the phone, and threw himself onto his bed, dialing Arkcher's number.

It rang for a few moments, when a voice picked up.

"The Ahrroww Residence. This is Arkcher. If you're a telemarketer, please don't make me yell at you again."

"It's just me," Cheesemaster replied.

"Cheeseman?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause, and in the background, Cheesemaster could hear Arkcher saying "Whoah...yeah, Cheesemaster just called me...Cheeseman, what's up?"

"I'm depressed and need some consolation."

Arkcher said nothing for a moment. "Alright. What's wrong?"

"I'm completely worried sick about Dawn. You know, I-"

"Yeah, you really like her. Mushroom filled me in. I'm really sorry I wasn't there to talk to you."

"No, it's fine."

"Anyhow...what do you want me to do?"

"I'm so scared of what Jakob Rabbitt might do. He's...I hate to admit it, but he's really very terrifying. I don't know what all he could do. All it would take is for James to leave somehow, and Jakob could do whatever he want. He could lock her up in her own room, or ship her back to Cullough-I don't even know."

"You know Horatio wouldn't allow that. In fact, Horatio might be a lot better for you to be talking to right now."

"Yeah, I know, but...you're my best friend, and I felt talking to you could really calm my nerves."

"I'm not going to tell you about how everything will be alright."

"I know you well enough to not expect that."

"Rather, do you think I could tell you a little about my new project? I'd actually really love if you came down here and helped me."

Cheesemaster smiled. A new project sounded wonderful.

"Tell me!"

"Well...my father's birthday is coming up. I can't show you over the phone, but if you come see me, the first thing I'll do it show you. I found a very old notebook of my father's-"

"You went through your father's journal?"

"Of course not. I wanted to, though. But as I was moving it-I was cleaning out his desk-a piece of folded up paper fell out. I wanted to put it back, but when I opened it up-"

Arkcher paused.

"-It was a picture I drew a really long time ago. It was a robot family."

"Sounds cute," Cheesemaster said.

"Yeah. I wanted to build those robots as gifts for dad."

"I see," Cheesemaster said. "That sounds like it would be really nice."

"Yeah-when did you think you wanted to help me with it? And by that, I mean 'can you come over right now or not'."

"Not right now. I'm sorry."

"...Fine. Look, just call me or stop by when you're able to, okay? Bye."

 

Before he could say anything back, Cheesemaster had hung up.

"Wonderful," He muttered, and went outside to do his job.

 

As he worked-today the two decided to walk around the street corner and see if that got them more customers-his heart pounded, hoping to see Dawn.

Edna was happier than usual, obviously playing up his childish nature to try and cheer up his friend.

 

"Read all about it-" Edna started, and then hit Cheesemaster in the leg with a paper. "Mr. Cheesemaster won't stop being sad!"

"I'm sorry," Cheesemaster said. "I'm really sorry, Edna."

"It's okay," Edna said, cutely. "I think you'll be better soon enough."

"I hope so," He said, trying to sound a bit more cheerful.

 

So the boys went through the shift for a few hours, until the work break.

"I don't know if it's a good idea to go by the Rabbitt Manor," Cheesemaster thought, as he sat on the loveseat reading. "But if I don't go there..."

Edna walked over, his hands on his hips in a standard children's angry pose.

"Hi, Edna," Cheesemaster said.

"You should go over there," He said bluntly. "Maybe sneak in the back through the garden."

"You know, I don't even care what happens. I'm going over there." Cheesemaster said, determined, as he stood up.

"Want me to come with you?" Edna said.

"Yes," Cheesemaster said, "I'll feel better if I'm not alone."

 

------------------------------------------------------

 

"And what were you wearing when I found you last night?!" Jakob asked sternly.

"My clothes were soaked through," Dawn explained.

"He saw you in wet clothes?!"

Dawn sighed. She was tired of Jakob hounding on her. "He couldn't see anything. You know how thick my clothes are. You insisted that all my clothes be thick so no one can see through them, no matter how hot I get in the Summer."

"Please, Dawn, you have that parasol wherever you go. Heat doesn't bother you that much. Now answer me, what were you wearing?"

Dawn rubbed her hands together nervously. She said, under her breath, "His clothes."

"His clothes?!"

"Cheesemaster lent me some of his clothes, okay? Go ahead and yell at me. Did you really want me to sit in his house with wet clothes?"

Jakob said nothing, but breathed heavily-though not in an angry way, more in a very tired way.

"Are...you alright?" Dawn asked, hoping some kindness would get her out of the awful situation.

"I'm exhausted," He said. He looked up and looked at Dawn, and looked angry. "Go on. Go see him. I don't care."

Dawn stood up, and sighed. On her way out, she hugged Jakob.

"Thank you, Jakob..."

 

Jakob said nothing and didn't move as she did, and she slowly walked out, happy to go see him, surprised Jakob would let her, and yet still sad. She hated Jakob, and yet...she didn't know how to describe how she felt.

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster slowly walked up the steps of the Rabbitt Manor, afraid of what might happen to him. But, before he could even knock on the door, Dawn flung it open, and was about to leave when she ran into Cheesemaster's arms.

 

"Cheesie? What are you doing..."

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," He laughed. "I was over here to face my fear and..." He looked at Edna. "And to not be so sad. That is...I came to see you. I thought Jakob would never let you out of the house again, after what happened."

Cheesemaster looked at her and saw she was still wearing his clothes from last night.

"I'm sure Jakob was happy about seeing you in my clothes."

"Yeah," Dawn said. "Can...can we go back to your house? I'd like my own clothes back...plus I'd like to spend a few hours with you..." She looked at the ground and put her hands behind her back. Cheesemaster's stomach fluttered at the way she looked.

"That sounds fine," Cheesemaster said shyly. He also looked at the ground and put his hands behind his back, the two of them looking shyly at each other. Dawn, likewise, thought he was adorable.

"C-come on," He said, shyly, and Dawn gently took his hand and they walked to his house.

"Though I still have to work in a minute. Is that alright?"

"It's perfectly okay," She said. "I can take a nap while you work, perhaps."

The thought of Dawn sleeping in his bed caused his stomach & heart to flutter.

"That sounds fine," He said.

 

The two, plus Edna, walked back to the house, and as others walked back to Cheesemaster's house, people started to get home from work and Cheesemaster got back to work with Edna; he said temporary goodbyes to her, and she went inside to sleep for a while.

 

Dawn first found the washer and dryer, and got her dress out; she went to Cheesemaster's bedroom and changed quickly into her dress, and neatly folded the dirty clothes on top of the washing machine.

She walked into his bedroom, butterflies in her stomach, though she didn't understand why.

 

She sat down on the bed and then laid down, and pulled the covers closer to her body, thinking over and over that he had slept on and under these covers...the fluttery feeing continued as she napped, and she fell asleep quickly.

 

------------------------------------------

 

"Dawn? Wake up!" Cheesemaster said, gently shaking her. She rolled over and looked up to see his face, and for a few moments thought he was on top of her.

"Cheesie?! What are you-" She said, rising up and grabbing his shoulders-here she found he wasn't on the bed, let alone on top of her, and was standing by the bed. She fell off the bed and was caught by him, her face in his stomach.

"Are you alright?" He said, giggling. She got back on her feet and blushed.

"I'm sorry," She said, "I thought you were...I thought you were on the bed."

"I can get on the bed if you want." He said plainly.

Dawn blushed, and then laughed. "That's not something I could hear you saying!"

"And why not?" Cheesemaster said jokingly.

"It's not really a gentlemanly thing to say," She said. "At least, not from what I know."

Cheesemaster smiled. "I guess not," He said. He then sighed, and the smile faded away from his face. "But...as hard as I try...I can't always be the good gentleman I strive to be."

Dawn looked at him for a while, and he looked at the ground while fumbling the bottom of his shirt.

"I think you do a good job," She said quietly.

"You think so?" He asked. "You're not just saying?"

"Of course not," She said. "Please don't say things like that. I'd never lie to anyone, especially not you."

"Alright," He said softly.

 

Dawn looked around. "Where's Edna?"

"He wanted to watch some movies." He went and sat sown on the couch. "Though I think he just wanted us to be alone."

Dawn giggled. "He's...I don't know. He's adorable. That's all I can think of...you really do a wonderful job of taking care of him."

"I do?" Cheesemaster said, looking unsure. "I always thought I wasn't...especially because I don't really know how to raise children."

Dawn sat down on the bed, and Cheesemaster followed suite. "But I'd assume that you'd just take after however your parents raised you. They are the ones who raised you, right?" She said, jokingly.

"Well...y-yes...it's just, simply modeling my f-my parents isn't really enough for me to know."

"I see," She said.

 

The two were quiet for some time, both staring into space. Neither wanted to be the first to say something, and were too nervous to really know what to talk about.

Cheesemaster thought perhaps some small talk would lead to something, so he turned to her and began to say something.

Before he could say a word, Dawn had her hand on his chin, and her lips pressed against his as though she would never let go of him. He gave in and shut his eyes, his heart pounding harder than it ever had before, his head swimming with thoughts-all of them happy.

She put her other hand on the other side of his face, and he grabbed her shoulders gently, getting up on his knees (without really realizing what he was doing), as she put her legs on the bed as well.

 

Cheesemaster pulled away from her to breathe, and heavily at that. His hands were on her face, and he smiled at her as he breathed.

"Do you know how incredible that was?" He whispered, and she smiled at him.

"Do you know how incredible that was?" She repeated back to him.

 

They kissed again, and Cheesemaster, though neither really knew or remembered how, ended up on top of her; she moaned a bit, not sexually, but thanks to the sudden weight falling onto her. He raised his head up, frowning.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, motioning to get off of her, but she stopped him.

"I'm fine," She said. She smiled at him.

He looked unsure, but he folded his arms on her collarbone and laid his head on his hands. He whispered, "I-I don't know if that's the truth. You're such a small girl-I-I mean that in the best way-"

She giggled weakly. "Really. You're not too heavy-" She moaned again, and he rolled off of her, and looked away from her, his hands folded on his stomach.

 

"If I'm too heavy, tell me."

"Cheesie..."

He looked back over at her. "I feel like I just hurt you."

"You didn't...you didn't hurt me."

He looked at her, and touched her face gently.

"Even so, those moans you were making..." He looked around the room, and then back at her. "It...it sounded..."

Dawn rolled him onto his back and threw herself onto him, and he gasped, but Dawn leaned down and lightly kissed his neck and cheek, and then full on the lips.

She moved back up, and positioned herself so she had her head on his chest, but was able to put her hand on his chest as well. She moved up, her head resting on his collarbone or neck, and his head leaned on hers.

 

"Ow," She said, and he shot open his eyes. "What?? What happened?"

She reached up for his glasses and pulled something out.

"My hair got caught on your glasses," She said quietly.

"I'm sorry," He said.

She smiled to show that it was okay, and they continued cuddling, not saying anything to each other, simply enjoying the company they had together; though, Cheesemaster's glasses constantly pressed against her head, slipped off, or fogged up, or caught onto more hair.

 

She lifted her head and shoulders up, and reached for his glasses. He jerked his head slightly, and looked up at her suspiciously.

"I-I'm sorry," She said.

He smiled at her, and sighed. "No, it's fine. They're...they're getting in the way."

His arms were immobile at the moment, so it was up to her to take them off. She reached for him, and he looked away, a sad and vulnerable expression coming over his face. He shut his eyes as they were pulled away, hair falling away as she lifted them off his face, and she set them on the nightstand.

 

Dawn looked down again, and his expression eerily reminded her of the way Julia looked sometimes...and he opened his eyes. Her heart skipped a bit-he looked so very different without them. It was as if he'd become a completely different person.

His mouth, slightly open, shut tightly and he moved so he was staring up at her, though she knew he wasn't really looking at her.

"I..."

"What's wrong?" He asked; despite looking so different, his voice had that same concern for her.

"You just....you look really different without them." She put a hand on his cheek, and he slowly, awkwardly, moved a hand up to touch it.

"I guess so," He said.

"You're still cute," She said. "Even without them. Maybe even sexy."

He blushed at hearing this. "Sexier without them?" He said, genuinely sad.

"No, no, not at-I mean, it's equal. It's just..." She gulped. "There's a certain vulnerability to it...and that's cute...for some reason."

"I certainly am vulnerable. I can barely see you. You're just a blur of purple and brown, you know..."

She laughed, and threw her head back on his chest. His breathing got a little faster, and she laughed.

"I love the way this feels...when you laugh or breathe heavily, the way your stomach feels against mine...if that made any sense, of course," She said, and sighed. "I love everything about you," She said quietly.

"I love everything about you, too," he said, smiling. The two kissed again, and simply laid there for a while, just being with each other, and trying to not fall asleep.

[Horatio]

[ This story is terrific!!! Thank you for continuing!!!

*hands Mushroom_king a big bouquet of flowers* ]

[Mushroom_king]

A few weeks later, in late June, Cheesemaster was invited over to Arkcher's Mansion to help him with the robots he was building for his father. Whenever the boys got together to invent, it was a sort of 'no women' thing-Mushroom never interrupted her husband working, and now, with Dawn romantically involved with Cheesemaster, she wasn't allowed to spend time with them either.

Not that this stopped Arkcher from endlessly asking Cheesemaster how he was with her.

 

Arkcher sat on a bench, endlessly poring over his old drawings of the robots, while drawing out blueprints for them; Cheesemaster went through Arkcher's scrap metal and wires to see what would be needed.

 

"So, Cheeseman...how did you manage to get with Dawn?"

Cheesemaster adjusted a suspender that was beginning to fall down his shoulder. "Well, originally, I wrote a secret message in an H.P. Lovecraft book and loaned it to her, hoping she'd see it. Before she managed to get to that story, Jakob had stolen the book from her and thrown it into the fire."

"####," Arkcher muttered under his breath. He shook his head, and said louder, "What a jerk."

"Yeah. She came crying to me, and I ended up telling her what I'd written. I learned that she felt the same, so..." He looked at the ground.

Arkcher smiled at him, looking away from his work for a moment. "I'm glad for you."

"Thanks," Cheesemaster said. "Can you tell me exactly what you plan for these robots? They won't have AI like your last one did, will they?"

Arkcher shook his head. "I don't think so. Probably not."

"Alright."

 

Cheesemaster walked over to the bench and sat down next to his friend.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah....why?"

"You just look like you've lost weight since I last saw you."

"Maybe I did."

"If you did, tell me how you did it."

Arkcher laughed. "Well, I wouldn't know how. But Mushroom keeps telling me to eat more. She's worried I might be underweight or something."

"Considering how tall you are..."

"Yeah. Maybe I should go get some snacks for us. You wanna examine my blueprints so far? Take some notes? Improve them?"

"I sure will," He said, taking Arkcher's seat as he exited the lab.

 

Arkcher exited the lab and walked back up to the Mansion, and walked to the kitchen, not seeing Mushroom or any of the household servants on his way there.

He walked into the kitchen and wondered what would make a good snack for the two of them as they worked.

Bacon was too greasy, and neither of them really liked chips (and they belonged to PMM anyway, he would get angry). Finally, he found a box of cookies, and he was sure no one in the house would mind if he took those.

 

"Hey, I didn't expect to see you up here," Came a voice, and Arkcher spun around, hands grasping the edge of the countertop, and Mushroom was in front of him.

She must have come in from the garden, He mused, and she smiled at him.

"Getting some snacks?"

"Yeah, I am, anything wrong with that?"

"Of course not," She said, and she lightly caressed his tiny waist. "I guess I shouldn't keep you."

He nodded. "Alright. I'll get back to work. Tell my father, if you see him, to not go down to the lab."

"Okay," She giggled. She stood on her toes and kissed him, and then let him go with the cookies.

 

Back in the basement, Arkcher set the cookies down on the work table, next to Cheesemaster.

"Did you notice anything that has to be changed? You're a little better with the actual physical mechanics than I am."

"Not that I could see. The way you're designing it, it looks like there'll be plenty of room inside their bodies for the wires. I just have one question-these curves on their arms, those are claws, correct?"

"Pincers. Yes."

"Okay, okay."

Arkcher sat down and ate a cookie. "You know, my dad was telling Solrai the other day about me when I was little."

"Haha....anything embarrassing?"

"Oh, no. Dad's not that type of person. Well...he did embarrass me unintentionally though."

"What did he do?"

Arkcher looked at the ground, blushing and grinning stupidly. "He showed her this old picture he has of me in a Boy Scout Uniform. I used to be a scout."

Cheesemaster looked over. "You were a Boy Scout?"

"Uh...yeah, why?"

"I was, too."

 

The boys stared at each other for some time, and then said in unison, "We should go camping."

 

------------------------------------------------

 

Cheesemaster went home right away to prepare, and he clearly remembered everything he knew about camping-it had been one of his favorite things to do, and yet he'd never gotten around to camping on Invision. He considered taking Edna with him, but he knew Arkcher would want it to be a "best friends outing" type of deal.

 

Arkcher had pretty much everything he needed to go, since he did go camping often on Invision-he did live in the mountains, after all. In fact, a love of the outdoors (mixed, oddly enough, with a love of spending time in a basement laboratory building robots) was a small part of the reason he chose to live on the mountain. It wasn't as important as his other reasoning, which was that it was the closest to Montreal he could get, but it was still a reason.

 

"You're going camping? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Mushroom said, as Arkcher meticulously packed, the enormous pack on their bed.

"It was a spur of the moment thing," He breathed. "I discovered we were both Boy Scouts back home, and it kinda went from there."

Arkcher put his hands on his hips and breathed.

"Besides, Cheesemaster actually really likes hiking and stuff."

"You wouldn't think so when you first meet him."

"I know, but I know him better than anyone else."

"I know one person who would know him better," She said.

He leaned down to fold some clothes. "Are you talking about Dawn or Edna?"

"Edna. They do live together."

"I think Edna and I would be equal in a Knowledge of Cheesemaster-Related Things contest."

"Where are you even going camping?"

"I don't know."

 

Mushroom folded her arms. "I'm assuming it's not here in the mountains."

"Nope," He said. "I want to go somewhere new."

"I don't think there's any campgrounds on Invision, are there?"

"Could you check?"

Mushroom nodded and ran off to the study, where the computer was. It was empty, which was odd, as Aloysious was usually there.

 

She went on the computer, and searched for some campgrounds on the planet. She skipped through 'recommended camping sites on Invision', and things that weren't related at all to what she needed, until she found an ad, on the sixth page of her search.

 

CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE

Longdon, Invision

The planet's premiere campground.

Acres and acres of beautiful woods with a sparkling lake.

 

She read the website for the camp, and decided that little synopsis was enough for a recommendation. She quickly printed out an address for Arkcher, and hurriedly went back to the bedroom to give it to him.

 

"Camp Crystal Lake? I can't shake the feeling I've heard that name before, but if it's the only campground this planet's got to offer, I might as well go there."

 

Arkcher packed up the rest of what he felt he needed, and the next morning flew out to the Port of Cheese to meet Cheesemaster.

 

Arkcher knocked on the door of Cheesemaster's house, and Cheesemaster opened it, confused.

"What are you doing here? Weren't we going to camp out by your house?"

"I found a campsite near here," He said. "We have to take the train there, though."

"Uhm, okay...just let me finish packing." He walked away, and Arkcher followed him in.

 

"I've already got my stuff packed," He said. "I decided it was better to pack everything I needed rather than assume you brought the essentials."

"What about Edna?"

"I'm sending him to your house to stay," Cheesemaster said. "Did I not tell you that?"

"Uh, no! You didn't tell me a five year old would be running around my mansion!"

"See, this is what we get when we do spur of the moment things."

"Oh well. I'm sure everyone there will take care of him. Edna is a good kid."

"If you say so," Arkcher said. "Our train leaves in an hour."

"Alright, alright. I already sent Edna on the boat to Hamsterdam to catch the plane to your house."

"Then let's get going already!"

"Okay, okay,"

 

The boys ran out the door, Cheesemaster locking the door on his way out, and lead the way to the train station.

The boys boarded the train, which was on its way to Longdon (though Cheesemaster didn't realize that). Arkcher handed over the boarding passes they had just bought, and ran excitedly on the train, a backpack strapped to him and a suitcase in his hand.

 

They sat down in a spacious train car, their things stored in the compartments overhead.

After they were situated, they began talking.

"Arkcher, where is this campground that you found?"

"Oh? It's near Longdon."

 

Cheesemaster gasped, and nearly began choking. "Longdon?! Are you kidding?!"

"Er...no?"

"Have you even been to Longdon? It's a dangerous place, and terrifying! And we'll be staying OVERNIGHT there, in the woods?"

"Come on, we'll be fine. I'm pretty sure a campground would be protective of its campers."

Cheesemaster sighed. "I hope you're right."

 

--------------------------------------------

 

The train ride was long, but not as long as the Hindenburg train ride (of course, since Longdon had been a stop on that ride). The conductor announced over the train intercom that they had arrived in Longdon, and Arkcher excitedly got up, Cheesemaster gingerly following him. They were the only ones who got off the train.

 

Arkcher stepped off into the (to him) unfamiliar town, Cheesemaster sticking close to him, looking everywhere in fear for Dead Deep, hoping he wouldn't see the zombie.

"Alright, let's find this Camp Crystal Lake," Arkcher said proudly, getting out the paper with the address on it. He sighed against it.

"What are you doing to that paper?"

"Look, it's not like I developed a paper fetish suddenly. Mushroom wrote this for me, so it reminds me of her."

"That's cute," Cheesemaster replied as they started walking, Arkcher looking at the paper. "I wish I had some kind of token that Dawn had given me."

"Yeah, you're not likely to have one of those when you've been together for maybe four days. Now, we're looking for the Bates Motel. When we find that, we take a turn down Castle Rock Avenue, and on the edge of town, if we did it right, there'll be the Overlook Hotel, and just beyond that is the camp!"

"Why would a town like this need hotels?" Cheesemaster murmured. "No one comes here for vacation. Except for Arkcher."

 

They walked through the completely empty streets of Longdon, and Arkcher looked around, wondering.

"Did something happen here? It's like a ghost town."

"Well, it is," Cheesemaster said, "Just not in that way," He muttered. "The people are probably inside, having parties, or sleeping. They all come out at night."

"Then why are you so worried? Come on. I think I see the Bates Motel up ahead."

He looked over at his friend. "You look tense. I have some candy in my pack that I brought. Do you want some?"

"No thanks, I had a large breakfast."

 

The two walked up to the Motel, and without a thought, turned down the road next to it.

"That must be the Hotel up on that enormous hill," Cheesemaster said. "Come on! Almost there!"

"Yeah....I'm right behind you," Cheesemaster said, and they ran on ahead, which they learned quickly wasn't the best idea with large packs on.

"Ugh, not such a good idea to run," Arkcher said, heaving. "Especially since neither of us are in shape."

"We can't rest, though. That would be dangerous."

Cheesemaster looked up, and nearly froze; on the sidewalks, several people with mangled bodies were already gathering.

"Oh, no," Cheesemaster said quietly. "We have to get out of here."

"Why?" Arkcher asked, and he looked at the people. "What are they doing? They're blocking the road."

"Exactly," Cheesemaster muttered.

"What do you mean? Are they a gang?" Arkcher had never had to deal with gangs before, and he didn't think Cheesemaster had either.

"No. Worse. I recognize them-they're zombies."

"Zombies? Really?"

 

The gang of zombies got closer to Arkcher, and eyed him suspiciously. Arkcher eyed them menacingly, and dropped his pack and, out of a side pocket of the backpack, drew out his bow & arrow, strung it, and aimed towards them. Cheesemaster took out his katana, thinking that would be far more useful than Arkcher's bow & arrow.

Some of the zombies who had snickered at Arkcher's choice of weapon backed off seeing Cheesemaster's.

"All of you, back off my friend and let us through. Or you have my sword to answer to."

 

Before they could respond, another zombie came out of the shadows-this time, a familiar face. Dead Deep.

"Look at you guys. You're attempting to eat my friend."

"D-Dan..." Cheesemaster said.

Dead Deep's larger eye blinked, and he grinned that toothy grin.

"Normally, I would take it upon myself to feast upon your friend there, Mr. Engineer. But elf flesh is disgusting. Far too soft. And he's all skin & bones anyhow." He ran his tongue over his cracked lips. "But I'll bet his brain is as large as yours is."

 

Arkcher put his hand over his mouth and gagged. Cheesemaster picked his pack back up.

"Dead, can you tell them to stop blocking the road? Arkcher and I are going camping."

"At Crystal Lake?! You two sure have balls!" Dead yelled, as the other zombies whispered and laughed.

"Well, Arkcher does," Cheesemaster said. "He suggested it, not knowing anything about Longdon."

Dead Deep laughed. It was a maniac's laugh. "Haha! Well, good luck! Don't die or anything!!" And he led his gang away as he continued laughing, the unsettling sound echoing off the empty streets as the boys continued walking.

[Horatio]

[ Thank you, thank you, thank you.

What a fantastic update!!! ]

[Mushroom_king]

[sorry!!! i finished the recent chapter a while ago but forgot to post it here. here we go.]

 

"There it is," Arkcher said finally, "The edge of the city. The campground shouldn't be too far now."

"Yeah," Cheesemaster said uncomfortably.

 

The two continued walking, hoping none of the zombie gang had followed them. The cityscape of Longdon morphed into the bleak fields surrounding the city, which, while green, didn't have any flowers or animals. But there were plenty of trees.

"We'll see a big sign when we get there," Arkcher said as they walked into a forest.

"I think I see it up ahead," He replied. "After all, we shouldn't miss a big sign in the middle of the forest."

"Alright!" Arkcher said excitedly, and began running ahead. "Come on!!" He shouted back to his friend.

The two ran briskly towards the sign, which read "CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE" in enormous, faded letters. Up ahead was a log cabin with smoke rising from the chimney.

"Looks nice enough," Cheesemaster said. "Maybe this won't be so bad."

 

They walked into the cabin, and found a warm and cozy lobby with a wooden desk, and a young woman behind it. She looked human enough, not like any of the Longdon citizens.

"Hello, boys!" She said, and the two figured she couldn't be much older than 18.

"Hi," Arkcher said. "I booked a campground for two under Ahrroww?"

The woman looked through a book. There was no computer at the desk, making Arkcher wonder how they had a website. Maybe there was an office elsewhere for that sort of thing.

"Ahrroww, two. Okay."

"Where will we be staying?" Cheesemaster said, eagerly wanting to put his pack away.

"I reserved a large span of the forest for us to hike and camp in. There's a cabin nearby in case we need help, and a lake to swim and wash our clothes in."

Cheesemaster beamed at the mention of hiking. "That sounds really great."

The receptionist stood up. "I'll lead you to your camp area."

"Alright," Arkcher said.

 

The receptionist led the boys to the camp area, and then stopped.

"Here we are. That's cabin 7 over there, where you'll go if you need help." She walked close to Arkcher, and he backed away from her. She frowned.

"I'll see you later," She said disdainfully, and she walked into the woods.

 

Arkcher threw his pack down, angrily. Cheesemaster gently put his down and the boys began pulling out the tents.

"That girl was hitting on you," Cheesemaster said plainly.

"Yeah, I know. That keeps happening to me."

"Well," His friend said as he took out the tent, neatly folded in the pack. "I guess they all thing your wedding ring is just for show. You know, since you are a teenager and everything."

Arkcher huffed and began setting up his tent as well. He was better at it than Cheesemaster was, mostly because he actually had had some experience since the last time he'd gone camping with scouts.

 

"What do you want to do first, anyway?" Arkcher asked his friend.

Cheesemaster thought for a moment, and said "I think we ought to gather some firewood first..."

"No, stupid. AFTER we prepare our campsite, what actually fun thing do you want to do first?"

"Oh, I guess...I guess we could take a hike."

"Alright. I got a map while I was in that cabin, and I was able to mark our campsite on it. I think there's some pretty rocky woods and a lake nearby we can hike around. Seems as though there's a cave there, too."

"I brought a torch with me, so that'll be fine."

"A...torch?" Arkcher said, confused.

Cheesemaster groaned, and dug through his pack, producing a flashlight. "A torch! See?"

"Oh, a flashlight!"

Cheesemaster rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, a flashfight. A flashlight. It's a torch." He emphasized his little-heard English accent on the last few words, and then shined it in Arkcher's face. The beam couldn't be seen in the daylight, but the shine of the bulb still got in Arkcher's eyes.

"Gah! Stop it-" And before he could finish Cheesemaster, laughing, had turned it off and stowed it back up. "Do you need me to take that with me on the hike? How late will we be out?"

"Take it with you just in case we're out after dark."

"Alright."

 

The boys set their tents up slightly next to each other, in a curve, as if two more tents would be making a circle around what would be a campfire. They unzipped and unbuttoned their packs to see what would need to stay out, and what could stay inside the packs. Inside of the packs, which were very large, were folded up backpacks that they would fill with necessities on their hikes. They took these out-Arkcher's blue, Cheesemaster's beige-and tried to decide what they needed to take on the future hike. Cheesemaster placed the flashlight in first.

 

"I brought some snacks, plus cans of food for when we actually have to eat," Arkcher said. "I assume you did, too."

Cheesemaster nodded, and they took out some sealed bags-Arkcher's was chips, and Cheesemaster's was uncooked ramen, covered with the powdered sauce, in a plastic sealed container. These snacks, plus two small cans of soup, went in the packs. Both of the boys had a knife, can opener, and other needed objects with them. They didn't want the backpacks to be too heavy, so they tried to pack light, and what they didn't need for the hike they put back in the larger packs, which went in the tents. Pots, pans, and other utensils were laid near the entrances for when they'd eat dinner.

 

"Leave your jacket here," Cheesemaster said, taking his brown one off. "I should probably leave my hat here, too. Can't afford to lose it."

"No, take it," Arkcher said as he unbuttoned and took off the silky grey jacket. "The hat'll shield you from the sun if you need to. Remember, it is the summer."

Cheesemaster realized that this was true, so he kept the hat in his pack in case he wanted it.

 

"Let's go," Arkcher said excitedly, as Cheesemaster ran to follow him, holding his pack rather than wearing it. The duo, led by the map-holding Arkcher, went into the woods, hoping no one would steal anything from their camp. It seemed as though there wasn't anyone in the woods TO try and steal things from their camp.

 

"There's the lake," Arkcher said after walking for some time.

The lake was large and expanded from just a few feet away from them all the way beyond the large rocky cliff at the edge of it, with pine trees on the other side. The water was a bright blue, though a little murky in some parts. Probably from mud, they thought.

"There's the cliff we'll be hiking on," Arkcher said, pointing. "Come on. Let's find a way up there."

 

The boys walked back into the woods, walking next to the rock pile, which got lower and lower as if it were a staircase. It didn't descend straight into the ground, but the point where the pile ended was just low enough for them to throw their bags on top of the rock pile and then heave themselves upwards onto the rocks.

 

"Be careful," Cheesemaster said, sticking close to Arkcher. "We wouldn't want to fall off, especially if there's no lake below us."

"We should be fine."

"Well, I don't know-we're both wearing dress shoes."

Arkcher laughed smugly. "Hmph. These shoes were issued to me by the Snow Log Boarding School. They'd last forever." He looked at Cheesemaster, his normally narrow eyes large and shining. "You have to understand-the area Winter Log was located in was pretty rocky and forested."

"But isn't all of Canada like that?" Cheesemaster asked.

Arkcher laughed. "Well, Montreal's a fairly big city, but outside of the city it's like that. I've never been outside of Quebec. I mean-" He cleared his throat-"I've never been anywhere else in Canada." His voice cracked a bit. "But my dad has."

 

The two walked up the rock pile, keeping away from the edge. As they walked, they realized for the first time how very quiet the forest was.

"Arkcher, shouldn't there be squirrels or birds or something in the trees? I don't think I even saw any fish in the lake."

Arkcher thought for a bit as he walked. "I didn't notice, honestly."

"I only just now did. I'm a bit concerned..."

"Come on, the animals are probably just quiet. Let's keep going."

Cheesemaster was still suspicious of the woods, and especially of the cliff-but he kept going, and, eventually, began to enjoy himself.

 

The view from the rock pile really was spectacular. There were miles and miles of trees in every direction, with the faint brown of the cabin roofs and chimneys popping up every now and then. The trees were so tall they obscured the lake, and even most of the other mountainous areas. Cheesemaster expected the view to get better when they finally got to the top.

 

The ground from the forest, at one point, began getting higher and hugged the sides of the rock, with bushes and trees decorating the edge. Cheesemaster began to feel that if he did fall, these trees would catch him-or he would catch them. The feeling subsided when the trees fell away from the cliff, when they were near the very top.

 

As they walked, the boys either discussed the robots Arkcher was building, or didn't talk at all-partially to preserve energy, partially to try and find any sign of life in the woods.

The sun began to set, and the boys knew they would have to get back soon...and yet they weren't at the top yet.

"We might as well go back," Arkcher said,a bit sadly. "If we kept going, it would be all night to walk back, and I don't want to be traveling on a cliff tired and hungry."

"Me neither," Cheesemaster said, nodding.

A slight rustle was heard, and the boys looked and saw several birds fly out of a conifer. Cheesemaster grinned. "Well, there's some life."

Arkcher stared at the bird, shrugged and they continued on his way.

 

It had gotten dark now, and the boys were cautiously walking along the edge of the cliff, with only moonlight and the light of the flashlight to guide them.

"Be careful," Arkcher said, and the two, stepping carefully over the rocks, shining their lights on the rocks to make sure nothing small could trip them and send them tumbling over the steep edge.

 

There was a section of the rocks that, if you looked over the edge, would reveal several spiked, dangerous rocks. They were an odd sight from the lakes and trees of the forest. Neither of the boys knew the existence of these rocks.

 

The duo were nowhere near the dropoff point, when very suddenly a strange noise was heard. Cheesemaster flung himself around, taking his flashlight off the ground, and Arkcher, not even noticing, took his light off the rocks and gently waved it around, looking for a source of the noise.

 

The noise had sounded a bit like an owl, but it didn't at the same time. The sound, though frightening in its own right, was so sudden and came out from the depths of the silence to scare them, and Cheesemaster jumped back slightly, away from the safe edge of the rock pile.

"What the h--l was that?" Arkcher said quietly, breathing unsteadily. Cheesemaster took another step back, and stepped on a small, pointed rock-and slipped.

"Ark-!" He yelled before tumbling over the edge of the pile, headfirst. It was a long way down, and he just barely grabbed his hat. His glasses fell to the edge of his nose, and his life began to flash before his eyes. Right as he remembered something very awful, the same thing he had dreamed about at Planet Horatio so many months ago, a hand grabbed his ankle. The owl-or whatever it had been-sounded again. Cheesemaster breathed heavily, with some difficulty.

 

His glasses had fallen at such a point that only half of his vision was bespectacled. The top half of his line of sight was blurry and a wave of blackness and vague dakr green shapes-the trees-and even more vague brown shapes-the rocks-were there. The bottom half was completely clear, albeit smudged from the day's hike, and he clearly saw the spiked rocks that had so almost been his fate. And he screamed.

 

"Cheese!!" Arkcher shouted, leaning down some more over the rock pile. Cheesemaster screamed again, not wanting to get any closer to the spiked rocks.

"Haul yourself up! I can't hold you forever!!"

 

Cheesemaster clutched his hat and stuffed it in his backpack, which was in its proper place now.

Arkcher threw a rope attached to his backpack, which Cheesemaster hastily grabbed, and hauled himself up as quickly as possible. He crawled to the edge of the rockpile, breathing, sweating, and Arkcher shined his light down.

"Spiked rocks? That's odd for an area like this."

Cheesemaster whimpered, and said in a frightened, hysterical voice, "Quit looking at it!!! I WANT OFF THIS D--N ROCKPILE!!"

 

"Okay, okay," Arkcher said, in a calming voice. "Let's go. Do you want me to tie this rope to you, and to me?"

Cheesemaster nodded. "Y-yeah..."

"Hey, it'll be okay. It was an accident. We were way too careless. Let's go."

 

After carefully tying themselves together, they continued walking until they finally got off the rockpile, and Cheesemaster breathed a sigh of relief. The experience was still fresh in his memory. He expected it to be like that for the rest of his life.

 

"Alright," Arkcher said some time later, after walking in the woods in the pitch dark, the silent dark. "We're back at our camp. Everything is still here, thank God."

"Okay," Cheesemaster said softly. "Finally. I want some sleep."

"Alright. You don't want to eat?"

"No. I'll have a big breakfast in the morning."

"If you insist," Arkcher shrugged. "You go in your tent, I'm gonna get a fire going because I'm gonna eat."

"A-Alright. Do you think I could sit with you and read?"

Arkcher nodded. "You could use some sitting by a fire. It'll calm your nerves."

"I hope so."

 

As Cheesemaster took his coat and shoes off and got his book, Arkcher gathered as much brush and wood as possible for the fire, and when he was done, Cheesemaster helped him gather up died grass, but also to start the fire.

 

Out of his pack, Arkcher retrieved some canned soup, two of them.

"I know you said you'll have a big breakfast in the morning, but looking at what we brought, it's probably better for you to eat now."

Cheesemaster nodded. "I feel a little better now, so I think I'll eat something. I guess we're having soup?"

"Yeah. It's the quickest thing I can make."

Cheesemaster started reading, and the two sat in silence for the longest time as Arkcher made the soup for them.

 

The shadows from the fire flickered across the trees in the forest, and the boys realized that other than the fire, there was a state of perpetual darkness in the woods; they barely even saw the moon. Beyond the orange glow, there was nothing but black. And it was utterly silent, the cracks and pops of the fire making the only sounds to break the awful quiet.

"Here you go," Arkcher suddenly said, and Cheesemaster jumped at the sudden sound of his voice. He looked up, and Arkcher was standing over him, holding a cup of drinkable chicken soup, hand reaching out. Cheesemaster quickly grabbed it, and Arkcher sat down next to him, taking a big gulp of the soup.

 

"I thought I'd never eat soup again after I left boarding school," Arkcher said. "Literally every day in the fall and winter we had soup."

"I guess so. It was really cold, after all."

Arkcher took another drink. "Boarding school wasn't so bad, now that I think back on it."

"You don't say."

"The main problem was the people," Arkcher said, and he practically crushed the empty cup. "Like that a-----e Thomas von Foster."

"That German kid, right? I think you told me about him and his friends once."

"If he hated Canada so much, why the h--l did he go to that school? At least that English kid Charley was nice to me. And the Italian. I never remember his name because he was always just...there."

"You'd think an Italian would stand out," Cheesemaster said softly.

"I don't really know anything about them," Arkcher admitted. He drank the last remnants of soup and put the cup in a plastic bag.

Cheesemaster took his first drink of the soup, and asked "If you're from Quebec, that means you can speak French, isn't that right?"

"I think you asked me this already. And yes, I can speak French." He sat back down, and asked jokingly, "I'm sophisticated by default because of it."

 

Cheesemaster forced himself to laugh.

"I'll wait for you to finish before I go to sleep. I'm assuming you don't want to be left alone out here."

"No, of course not," Cheesemaster said. "I'd hate that."

 

So they were silent some more. The fire was starting to get low, and was reduced to barely an ember before that strange owl-like noise was heard again, this time very deathly close.

"There it is again," Cheesemaster said quietly.

The fire then went out. The crackle was gone, as was their one source of light.

In the sky, they finally saw the full moon, glaring down on them like some awful eye, and they scooted closer to each other.

"It's just an owl," Cheesemaster whispered to himself, assuredly. The noise sounded again. Louder. Closer.

 

Arkcher slipped off the log, Cheesemaster following, and both fumbled around to try and find the flashlight. The owl hooted again. It sounded even closer, as if it were just on the edge of the clearing.

"Where is that f-----g flashlight?!" Arkcher said loudly, and Cheesemaster knew he was scared-he rarely used such a strong curse. Cheesemaster fumbled around as well, despite scarcely being able to see.

 

The noise sounded again, and whatever was making it was definitely in the clearing. And it wasn't an owl. Both the boys were young men of science, and knew that whatever was making the noise was much larger.

 

"GOOD GOD, WHAT IS MAKING THAT NOISE?!" Arkcher screamed, and the boys huddled together, finding each other in the darkness. Arkcher didn't really like being hugged by other men, but in this case he made an exception.

Arkcher had what he thought was the flashlight in his hand, but refused to turn it on. He was too scared by what he might see.

"Let's just get into a tent," Cheesemaster suggested, his voice panicked. The "owl" was sounding every couple of seconds now.

"Are you crazy? What if that thing wants us dead?"

"We can't just run blindly in the woods."

 

Arkcher gulped. "My tent is really spacious. Let's both go in there." He shook his head. "I don't like it, though."

Cheesemaster fumbled about, looking for one of the tents. It didn't matter which. He could sense the thing getting closer to them, whatever it was.

 

The two crawled into a tent, not knowing whose it was. It was pitch dark, but they at least felt safe. But neither of them knew how they would be sleeping after that fiasco. Cheesemaster had already thought he'd be getting a sleepless night after his near-death experience.

 

Eventually, the noise faded away, and disappeared altogether. Whatever had made it was gone. The boys sat there for a long time before falling fast asleep, unable to even keep their eyes open.

[Horatio]

[ Mushroom_king!!! Thank you so much for the phenomenal update! This is terrific! ]

[Mushroom_king]

[Hey, sorry about the months-long delay in updates. Truth is I'm suffering from the worst bout of writer's block I've ever had for any of my stories, ever.]

 

[in the meantime, I've been re-writing some of the earlier chapters of the story. I'll be making a few posts with those in them right now, just to hold you over until the next re-write or the next real chapter.]

[Mushroom_king]

Chapter Two

 

"Mushroom, dear. You've been listening to the exact same song for the past week. Please, stop..."

 

Two days after they had come back home to the massive mansion on Mt. Jazzeh, Arkcher, who was trying to peacefully sleep in, awoke to the sound of both the Super Nintendo and the CD Player. Ugh, why did she still use CD Players? He would have to buy her an MP3 Player soon...

He looked over and saw she was not even playing the game, merely sitting and listening to the song.

 

"Mushroom, please. You'll ruin that thing if you do stuff like that."

"It hasn't ruined our copies of Kirby 64 or Smash Bros., nor all my CDs, has it?"

"Mushroom, just... leaving the Super Nintendo on, playing Super Mario RPG, I thought you hated that game, playing the stupid forest song, that's going to overheat it. That's my awareness of how games work."

 

Arkcher climbed out of bed, and before he did anything, before he even got properly dressed, he combed his hair meticulously at the vanity in the room. Have you ever seen a couple's bedroom where the husband uses the vanity more than his wife? There's something wrong here! Vanities should have makeup and cutesy photos of boyfriends, not cans of Axe and random crap Arkcher left there!

 

.... Anyway. Mushroom didn't really hate Mario RPG, she just pretended to. She and her sanity PMM liked EarthBound better, though, admittedly, Mushroom_king only really liked it because of the musical references; it says something that while PMM plays every video game known to man (well, the good ones), she actively only played rhythm games.

Cheesemaster was the one who liked Mario RPG. The two sometimes fought over the superior SNES RPG classic.

 

"Come on," Arkcher said, not even close to finishing the brushing, the bucket of hair gel waiting for him-he had not gelled it up yet, a first. His shirt was horribly wrinkled from sleeping in it, and his necktie wasn't even tied nor attached to his neck. Look, I don't know why he sleeps wearing his necktie!

"Shedra is waiting for us. He cooks breakfast for us to go down there and eat it. Everyone else is waiting, too, I assure you."

"I'm not the one who just woke up. I'm also not the one lacking pants." She groaned, and, in defeat, turned the console off. "Honestly! Why can't men wear pants to bed?"

"Shedra is waiting for us," He repeated, "As is everyone else."

 

'Everyone else' in this context meant the Mordreds, a large family of wizards who made their living being the household servants for the Ahrroww family and whoever the #### else was in the mansion. (Kat was occasionally found living in the armory.) Shedra was the butler and a chef, Courtney was the doorwoman, Patrick was another chef, and there were countless gardeners, maids, other butlers (it was a massive place, after all), and some other random jobs, like Lucius Mordred, who answered the telephone, and Mark Mordred, who got the mail. There were other Mordreds, too, who didn't do anything, but still lived their with their family. Shedra was by no means the oldest nor the tallest, but he was considered a leader of sorts among them. (Their parents are kinda... not there.) Most of the gang's friends were not fabulously wealthy with dozens of tiny wizards attending to their every single need, and found it awkward to come over, but hey, I just dedicated a paragraph to characters who don't even do anything relevant in this story, let's move on.

 

Once the ridiculously vain Arkcher finished his hair, the two raced to the dressing room, set up the screen, and dressed as usual - Mushroom slapped on a band tee and her green jacket, and some plain, ripped up jeans and tennis shoes, and Arkcher in yet another boarding school uniform. Mushroom thought it odd that he still wore it... he had never spoken very positively of his school days.

 

Mushroom glanced into Arkcher's closet, swearing she wasn't peeking at him.

"Silly... your suits all look the same. What's up with that?"

Arkcher scowled. "They are not the same! Each is different. Some of them have different ties to go with them. Some of them are different shades of grey, and I've got a few colored shirts in there! There's slight differences!" He stammered.

"Whatever you say. They look the same to me!"

 

It was sometimes hard to fathom they were friends... just a look into their closets showed how very different the two were.

Arkcher was sharp, which was one of the few things he and his best friend Cheesemaster had in common. Mushroom preferred casual, and crazy stuff, though never as crazy as Kat's taste.

 

Arkcher folded up the screen, still slightly bitter over the comment on his suits, but he stuck close to Mushroom as they walked to the dining room for breakfast.

"About time you showed up," Shedra said, pseudo-annoyed. "Here's your freakin'... Here's your breakfast, you two ungrateful kids!" He was trying to be serious and failing spectacularly. You could hear his giggling under his breath as he headed back to the kitchen.

 

Arkcher & Mushroom... oh, and PMM, ate their breakfast, and as they did a small chat started up...

"You just got back from the mainland, what do you plan to do now? Just stay here for a while?" asked Courtney Mordred, one of the chefs. She had a crush on Arkcher, and he knew it, but tried his damnedest to make it so she would stop. He honestly did not like her very much and simply answered "Yes."

Courtney sensed he didn't want to talk to her, but she pressed on.

"And what do you plan to do?"

He sighed, and replied, sounding aggravated.

"I don't know," he muttered sternly. "Play video games. Sleep. Work in my lab. Same stuff I normally do."

"Sounds fun," PMM said sarcastically.

Arkcher stretched and muttered something.

 

"What was that?" Mushroom asked, and Courtney, sensing once again what was to come, got up and left half-heartedly.

"I said, gee, it sure is boring around here."

Mushroom stared at him. "I think you go online too much."

"Please, I do not."

"Yes, you do!"

They argued for a bit, and Arkcher eventually got up and left to go study in the study, because that's what studies are for. It was a nice room, with a warm fireplace, a big table, a big chair, and several big shelves. He felt like he needed some alone time... he had always felt like he didn't have enough alone time, surrounded by people all his life... you know, normally, people lock their doors when they want alone time. Arkcher didn't. That way, the plot can happen.

 

Arkcher thumbed through the bookshelf and flipped through assorted books.

He couldn't believe he was looking for the one book he'd said he would never read.

It's gotta be here somewhere, He thought to himself. He looked around on the third shelf. It has to be. It was here along with a bunch of other things from home when we came here.

 

He looked and looked, and finally found it.

" 'Daily Mechanisms and how to construct them easily' ," He read aloud. "By Dr. Aloysious Ahrroww."

He squirmed at that name.

 

Dr. Aloysious Ahrroww...

 

Aloysious Ahrroww was known on Earth, notably in England and North America, as a good inventor. Maybe a great one. He was constantly finding new uses for things, and patenting them, and for making improvements on household things, especially furniture. He was also Arkcher's father.

 

Arkcher sighed. He trembled as he sunk into the large chair behind the desk, clearing a space in case he wanted to set the book down. He shuddered as he opened the cover, hands shaking. His spine shook as he read the very first sentence:

 

I dedicate this book to my wife, Lara, and my four children, especially my newborn son, Arkcher.

 

I dedicate this book to my wife.

 

Oh Dad, you were bullied into adding that, weren't you? You just wanted to dedicate it to me, didn't you? Arkcher thought bitterly. Or maybe...

 

Arkcher grunted, shaking his head. He turned the page again.

 

He didn't really want to be reading this. It was more like... an internal urge, of sorts. He tried for a few pages to pretend someone else, some other man who happened to be an innovator of household object usage, but it was impossible. There was no ignoring the distinct way his father wrote, which was so much like how he spoke; so much that he read the book in his father's voice rather than his own per usual.

He was so absorbed into it that he didn't notice Mushroom_king and her sanity standing across from the desk.

 

"Hey, what are you reading!" Shouted Mushroom, causing Arkcher to jump. He looked up at her and shut the book tight, though it was too late-he had already seen it.

Paper Mario Master jumped up on the desk, video game in one hand, the book in the other. He played the game without even looking, by memory, as he read the book's title.

 

"... Ahrroww? So this was written by some dumb relative of yours?"

"... Uh... yes. That's my father."

"That explains more than a few things."

"Why were you reading this, anyhow?" Asked Mushroom.

 

Arkcher folded his arms and looked away stubbornly, refusing to answer.

PMM leaped over, dropping the game, ad clutched Arkcher's tie.

 

"Tell me, damn you, or I'll break all your psyche-locks myself!

 

"Look, just let go of my tie, will you? I read the book because I miss my dad!"

Mushroom sighed an "Oh..." and then added, "But why didn't you tell us this before...?

"Because I guess it felt odd. I never see anyone else pining for home or for their family they left behind. Look at Cheesemaster. He barely even does a passing mention of his folks."

 

PMM raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Even if it was weird, we would still support you! ... Maybe not me, but everyone else would."

 

"Do you really think we don't miss our friends and family?" said MK. "Dawn and Vanilla Star Hamser make me miss my past more, but I learn to forget it and have fun here."

 

Arkcher sighed again. "I just wish I could see my dad just one more time...he didn't even visit me at my wedding."

"Maybe he didn't approve of your mom making you get married." thought MK.

"I'd like to see your dad," wondered Paper Mario Master. "Your mom looked nothing like you."

 

For once the little man was right. Arkcher was tall, thin, and blond-his mother Lara Ahrroww was shorter, fatter, and brunette. From what old family photos could attest, his three older siblings were like that, save the oldest, Derringer, who was tall... but still chubby and brown-haired.

 

Mushroom once again examined the book. "Your dad was an inventor, right? Hmmm... seems like this book is about how you can fix or modify common household items to make them more useful? That explains why you sometimes do weird stuff to the couches..."

"That was his third book," Explained Arkcher. "He wrote it sometime after I was born, almost directly after. It's dedicated to me."

"A sixteen-year old book. It's getting old..."

"He revised it once. I think we have that version, as well, somewhere." Arkcher sighed. "If it was possible, I'd love for him to visit me... but he doesn't even like cars, let alone a spaceship. He'd never be able to get here even if he wanted to."

 

The conversation was stopped short when they heard an uncommon sound - the doorbell. They knew the doorwoman would get it for them, but they had a feeling they wanted to know who this was.

 

Mushroom and PMM ran ahead, with Arkcher reminding them that there was no chance it could be Aloysious - it was probably just a friend.

[Mushroom_king]

Chapter Three

 

Chapter Three

 

Arkcher gulped, and with trembling hands, opened the door.

It'll be a friend. It'll be a friend. I just know it...

Before he knew it, standing in front of him was...

 

... a light brown wolf with white wings, folded across her back. You'd think Arkcher would be terrified, like most people, but he happened to be friends with this particular wolf. Her name was Mega Wolf, and before she walked into the house, she suddenly shape-shifted into a girl about Arkcher's age, a pretty Asian girl who always seemed to be smiling. In this form, she was Jeanette, not the wolf from another dimension that was Mega Wolf.

 

Arkcher breathed a sigh of relief. All that anxiousness melted away in an instant, and he felt he could get on with his life. But he did wonder what she wanted-Mega Wolf... no, Jeanette, she never came to the Mansion.

"It's just you. Do you mind if I still call you Mega Wolf? I'm... not used to you this way." She'd only recently started using this form; the first two years on Invision she'd mostly stuck to the mountains, as you'd expect a wolf to do, but she'd recently spent more time with the others, which usually required her to take on a more familiar appearance, and there was no way she was using her magic to just make herself a wolfgirl.

 

"Of course," She said, the snow that had stuck to her fur melting off her skin. "Who else could it possibly be?"

No one, just my father who I haven't seen for the majority of my life. That's all.

 

"Ammy! I mean..." Shouted Paper Mario Master, and very suddenly, his green suit was exchanged for an entirely different costume-a green jumpsuit and a mushroom-like hat. He bounced over to the girl and jumped on her back, and then frowned.

"What! Taking human form? Lame. I wanted to play with you. And you were a brown wolf today, instead of white, what's up with that?"

Jeanette shook the man off, and he fell to the floor, his mushroom hat falling off. He grunted and took off his jumpsuit, his normal clothes underneath it.

"Stop that," Jeanette scolded. "It's annoying." She laughed sarcastically and folded her arms.

 

Before the two could have an all-out war of sarcastic wit, Mushroom_king came down the stairs of the foyer, with Shedra the butler and Courtney the maid in tow.

"Oh," She exclaimed. "MW is here? Why?"

"I'd explain if I could stop being interrupted," She snapped. Then she shook her head. "Er... sorry."

"Why don't we move to the sitting room? We can sit down there, you can explain to us what's going on, and Shedra can get us drinks."

"I could use a couch to sit on," Jeanette responded.

 

The three of them, followed closely by the butler, moved to the flowery sitting room, and Shedra was fixing them some sandwiches and pouring water and soda when Jeanette began to explain. Mushroom explained that she could take her normal form if she was more comfortable that way, but she declined.

 

"Well, for one, I should state that everyone else seems to be fine. I checked."

Jeanette, when she was Mega Wolf, could fly very quickly, and as you may have guessed, she also had a penchant for fairly powerful magic; as a result, she found herself instinctively flying around Invision, checking on people, making sure there was activity in some of the more remote regions. She was practically an unofficial member of Horatio's team of Invision supervisors.

 

"That's good to know," Arkcher muttered. He didn't exactly care, he just wanted to know why she had come all the way to their mansion.

"As for why I'm here," She began, and the couple perked up their ears.

 

"I was flying back to Mt. Jazzeh, as you can imagine, when I saw a spaceship crash here. Not an enormous one. Actually, it was a fairly cheap one-too small and too normal (by spaceship standards) to be noticed unless you were looking for it." She saw the surprise in their eyes, and thinking they were scared, said "Oh, it can't be a threat of any kind. There weren't any weapons besides the regular defensive measures on the shuttle. I saw where it landed..."

 

Arkcher glanced over at Mushroom, actually quite scared. No way that can be my father. He doesn't like cars, let alone a space shuttle...

 

Jeanette then stood up, her eyes closed, and finished up her sandwich. "Well, I doubt it affects you too much, Arkcher. If you wanted to go find it, you could come with me to the landing site-"

"No, that won't be necessary. Besides, Jean, it's probably just some hapless traveler. Horatio will find out and take care of them."

 

Jeanette flipped her hair so it was over her shoulder, and as she left, she shifted back into her wolf form, with darker brown fur this time, and flew off, leaving Mushroom_king tired and Arkcher paranoid and worried.

 

"I need to take a nap," Mushroom said. "Or go back to bed..."

Arkcher looked at her and held her by the waist. "Are you sure? You've never been the type to take naps..."

"I know, but I'm just tired... it would do you some good to lay down, too." She put her hand on his shoulder and hugged him, her head laying on his chest. "And don't worry too much, okay?"

"Okay," Arkcher said. He usually wasn't so passive with the things Mushroom said to him, but maybe a nap would do him good, to help him get his mind off things.

 

He made his way to the dressing room, where he took off his coat and tie, casually throwing them on the dresser instead of putting them away like he usually did, and then washed his hair of gel. It was a shame to wash it out already when it seemed like he'd just fixed it up, but sleeping with it in his hair was uncomfortable and could even hurt if a particularly over-gelled part stabbed him in the face.

 

As he did all this, his thoughts were plagued with the spaceship, and the thought that it might contain his father, even though he was sure it didn't. That was impossible!

 

It wouldn't leave his mind all the way to his bedroom, and it wouldn't leave his dreams, either.

 

Ark...cher...?" said a familiar voice.

"Dad?"

Arkcher saw his father, completely obscured by light, just a foot or two away from him. Arkcher reached out to hug him, but he disappeared, and suddenly, so suddenly, he felt horribly weak.

A book appeared. The title, faint, but Arkcher knew it was the one from the study. It came down upon Arkcher-

 

"Arkcher FREAKING Ahrroww!" Yelled a voice, waking him up. Paper Mario Master. Of course. Tugging at his collar and practically choking him. Why did he always forget to unbutton the collar before he went to sleep...?

"Dad... please don't go..."

"WAKE! UP! WOMAN!"

Arkcher sleepily rolled over, which created a feeling of unstoppable rage in PMM. he smacked Arkcher as hard as he could, definitely waking him up this time.

"Ow! What was that-!"

"You idiot! Our lunch is getting cold and here you are BEING A LAZY-####!!!!"

 

Mushroom sighed, arms folded, and picked up her sanity, scolding him on his rude behavior. There were better ways to wake people up, she said. Well, tell me about them, PMM demanded.

 

She sat down on the bed, by Arkcher's feet.

"Did you have a dream about your father?" She asked softly.

Arkcher coughed and looked off to the side. "... Yeah."

"Well, get out of bed and get ready, you could use something to eat."

"Mmmhmmm," Arkcher muttered, stretching and getting out of bed, and getting ready for the second time that day.

 

As he sat down for Lunch (Shedra was making burgers. Hooray, his favorite...) the doorbell rang, just as it had earlier.

Arkcher had half-way abandoned the idea of his father ever visiting him ever again.

If he couldn't make the effort more than once to visit me at school, then why would be make the effort to visit me suddenly on another goddamn planet?

 

He sighed. "I'll get that. Don't bother. It's probably either Mega Wolf or Horatio coming to tell us who came in the spaceship this morning. I'm sure they've found out who ish-who it is by now."

 

He walked out of the dining room, his family-well, his sort of family-watching him.

 

Mushroom leaned back in her seat, and sighed.

"Are you alright?" PMM asked, showing a sudden, rare show of heart.

"I'm worried about him. It isn't good when he gets this way."

"You mean depressed?"

"Yeah," She said. "Because it makes me depressed, too. To see my friend upset, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Said the sanity. "But he was really happy when we started eating."

He was referring to how Arkcher had ran all the way to the dining hall, sat eagerly down, and excitedly asked Shedra what he was making for lunch today. It certainly seemed like he was actually happy, not just masking his paranoia or sadness regarding his father. Then suddenly, when the door rang, it was gone and he was as down as he'd been before their nap.

 

"Don't worry about him too much, Mushroom." PMM assured her. The Mordreds were in awe, but tried not to stare as they saw the sanity actually comforting someone.

 

Arkcher made his way towards the foyer, practically forcing his legs to move. He didn't want to answer the door all of a sudden, but did so anyway. Whoever was at the door would cement once and for all if his paranoia was justified.

 

Arkcher straightened himself up, but that didn't stop his body from shaking violently and sweat pouring down his face.

 

He reached for the door, hesitated, and then grabbed it again. He tried to turn the knob, but his sweat made his hand slip off the handle, practically giving him a heart attack.

 

Okay. Try again.

 

He wiped his hand on his jacket before going for the doorknob again, and this time actually succeeded in turning the door, though very slowly.

The knob clicked. The door opened.

"Yes, who is it?" Arkcher asked impatiently.

 

Standing in the doorway was a tall, thin man, his shoulders unusually broad and long, silky blond hair going down his back, styled almost the exact same way Arkcher's was. He had black pants, held up by a set of black suspenders, and a dress shirt. No tie or jacket like Arkcher.

The stranger (?) stood there, looking only slightly surprised, but Arkcher was completely speechless. And after a minute or two of not talking, Arkcher clutched his chest, whimpered, and fell to the ground with a thud.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Up in the dining room, the atmosphere had lightened up (slightly), and PMM was playing a Japanese game on his DS while Mushroom_king worried about her husband.

"Could... Could you please go check on Arkcher?" She directed this question towards PMM. "You're done eating and it'll give you something to do."

"Excuse me," He yelled, "I HAVE something to do. Do you SEE this?" He waved the game in front of her face. "THIS. Games."

"Yeah, Yeah. Go downstairs and check on him already. And since when did you know Japanese?"

"I learned it so I could be THE game master," He explained. He sighed, turned the game off, and leaped off his chair.

 

He made his way down to the foyer, where he saw Arkcher, on the ground but still breathing, and the look-alike in the doorway gazing down at Arkcher with a heavy-looking briefcase in his hand.

 

PMM gasped over-dramatically, and glared at the look-alike in the doorway, narrowing his eyes and frowning.

"YOU!" He yelled, and the stranger gasped as he was trying to close the door. "You killed him! YOU'RE A CONVICTED FELON, AREN'T YOU!"

"C-Calm down," Said the stranger, holding his hands in front of him.

"I know what you did. You took that briefcase, and CONKED him on the head, didn't you? Like this?"

 

PMM snatched the suitcase away and was about to demonstrate his point, when Arkcher woke up.

"Arkcher! You're alive!"

"Of course I am, you idiot. Stop waving that briefcase around."

 

He stood up and brushed snow that had been trampled in the house off his coat, and looked the stranger in the eye, his heart beating so fast he was actually kind of worried.

 

"Arkcher, this convicted felon-"

"-is my father," Arkcher finished in a murmur.

 

PMM was completely silent and examined both of them, when the look-alike grabbed Arkcher's shoulders, grinning.

 

"You're... You're... You're really him... You're Arkcher! You're my son!" He threw his arms around Arkcher and sniffed, about to cry. "I haven't seen you in... in over seven or eight years, I think..."

Arkcher was too shocked to move his arms, and too shocked to say anything but "D-dad..."

 

PMM coughed. "I'm so sorry to interrupt the heartfelt reunion, but we were, y'know, having lunch and stuff. Or finishing lunch. Anyway, I could go get the other important people, and..."

 

He suddenly paused. "Wait, what the #### are you doing here in the first place? ... Aloysious, right?"

"Yes, that's right. And I can explain after I sit down with these important people you speak of."

 

Arkcher and Aloysious both followed PMM up to the guest room, where Aloysious sat on the bed as the three younger people sat in chairs.

 

Mushroom was staring at Aloysious with rapt attention, and Aloysious explained, "I came here to see my son, why else? And also to explore a bit, once I learned of his... new residence." He looked at Mushroom_king. "And you are?"

"Mushroom_king," She said. "I'm... I'm Arkcher's wife."

"Ah, that's right. The girl my son was married to not long ago."

If by not long ago you mean two years ago, Arkcher thought.

"Arkcher," Mushroom said dreamily. "Your father is so cute!"

 

Arkcher gasped, while Aloysious began to laugh. "EM KAY! This is my father we're talking about! And besides, of course he's cute! He's related to me, isn't he?!"

Aloysious laughed again, and said "Ah... you're as vain as you ever were." He had a faraway look in his eyes as he looked off to the side.

 

Mushroom stood up.

"I'll leave you two alone. I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do."

"Of course," Arkcher muttered.

 

Mushroom nodded, and followed by her sanity, they left the guest room.

 

Aloysious threw himself down on the bed, looking at the ceiling. Arkcher stood at the door, arms crossed and folded, not saying a word.

Aloysious looked over at him.

 

"I know it's strange, having me come over and stay with you completely unannounced."

"You think? And what's this about staying?"

"Come here. Don't you want to tell me everything that's happened since I last saw you? You were just a little boy at boarding school when the last time we truly spoke to each other."

 

Arkcher sighed, and walked over, running his fingers through his hair, and sat down next to Aloysious, who hugged him. Arkcher couldn't help it, he did feel warm inside.

 

"But not in here," Arkcher exclaimed. "Not in the guest room."

"Of course," Aloysious responded, standing up. The way he spoke and moved was almost exactly like Arkcher's, but more graceful.

 

In the sitting room, Arkcher poured a glass of ice water from the pitcher that was always on the table in there as he explained to Aloysious all the things that had happened to him-starting with some of the things that had happened to him at school, and then beginning the story of his life on Invision, which had only begun three years ago, but it seemed like an eternity. Arkcher was finding it difficult to imagine a life without Mushroom and Cheesemaster, and all the rest.

 

Aloysious thought it over as he drank the water, wishing he could have a hot cup of tea instead.

 

"Sounds like you're living the best life a young man could live," Aloysious thought. He choked on these words-he hadn't seen Arkcher since he was a pre-teen boy. Seeing him as a 16-year-old was almost too jarring for him.

"If you say so. You talk as though nothing bad happens." Arkcher said, shrugging. "But I guess it is fun..."

 

Aloysious sighed, smiled, and then began to ruffle Arkcher's hair, but he jumped away and began to yell at him.

"Stop it!!! That's mah hair!!"

Aloysious only laughed at him. "You haven't changed all that much, have you?"

 

Aloysious looked Arkcher up & down, still dumbfounded that the little boy from years ago had grown up into this person, who was so similar and yet so very different. Even so, he felt-he knew-it was his duty to spend time with his son, to make up for that lost time.

 

Aloysious sighed again. "I'm glad you've grown up to be a healthy boy."

Arkcher groaned, but listened to his father anyway, trying his best not to be angry or disrespectful.

[Mushroom_king]

Chapter Four

 

Arkcher tried to convince himself he was dreaming as he listened to his father gush about how his little boy had grown up into such a fine young man, but it was nigh impossible. But wouldn't you do the same if your father suddenly traveled from a completely different part of the universe just to see you?

 

Arkcher wasn't too happy later in the day when his wife was practically flirting his father. Luckily, unlike Arkcher, Aloysious was the sort of man who didn't get very angry at people, and was very forgiving of people. These traits only got passed on to one of his children, and it hadn't been Arkcher.

 

Mushroom was examining him much later in the day, as they ate dinner, when she suddenly laughed.

"Ha... Arkcher, you really are his spitting image. I didn't think genetics could be so kind to someone."

Yeah... so kind to someone.

 

Arkcher didn't feel like talking anymore. He'd had a overly long day already. He didn't think he'd have so much to tell his father assuming he ever saw him again, but there he was.

 

PMM stared at Aloysious, the only one without a look of wonder on his face. He looked the man up and down over and over again, before finally saying

"I... really, really do not want to imagine having to wash that much hair."

He stared Aloysious in the face. "When was the last time you got a haircut, dude?"

 

Aloysious thought for a minute, and after a while the sanity gave up.

 

"Okay. I see. The answer is, the last time you cut your hair was never ago. I can see it in your eyes, they're, uh, real expressive..."

Arkcher suddenly perked up, and faced Aloysious.

"Dad? I had an idea just now. Starting tomorrow, did you... uh.. want to visit all our friends?"

Aloysious clapped, smiling wide, and exclaimed "Ah! That would be most wonderful!"

"Alright," Arkcher said. Mushroom squealed and said "Yay! Starting tomorrow, we'll go to Hamsterdam first, and then decide where to next."

 

Noting the clueless look on his father's face, Arkcher stuttered, "Oh, Hamsterdam is the capital city. Or the biggest city. Honestly, it could be either, no one is really sure."

Aloysious nodded.

Arkcher hesitated. "But... don't you want to stay here for a day or two to, you know, rest up? You must be tired from your trip here..."

"That'd be nice, but I'd rather see all your friends first."

"But dad..."

"Besides, I'm not tired at all."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Tomorrow, wake me up early and I'll get ready to meet all your little friends."

 

Aloysious seemed really happy to do so, as if traveling across the universe for one person had been as easy as anything for him.

 

-----------------------------------------

 

Arkcher kept his promise, even though he would have preferred to leave after lunch then before breakfast, but no matter. Arkcher, Mushroom_king, their sanities, and now Aloysious Ahrroww, packed a few things for the trip. While they did, Aloysious was full of questions.

 

"So, Arkcher. You're married now, do you and your wife have any grandchildren for me yet?"

Arkcher stopped and blushed, his hand to his face. "Dad, of course not yet. Em Kay is only fourteen."

"Yes, but you're only sixteen. I wouldn't think age is too much of an issue..."

"Dad! Just stop!" Arkcher yelled, and Aloysious did stop, but not without looking slightly hurt.

"I'm sorry. But nothing like that is... is going to happen until she's older."

 

Mushroom_king had been listening in on this whole fiasco, her face completely red.

 

They made it down the mountain, and Aloysious didn't seemed surprised at all by the seasonal bubble, a little feat of magical engineering (magicneering) genius; while the mountain was cold all year long, the bubble gave the Ahrroww and Mordred families a taste of Summer, Spring, and Fall, and then in the Winter the Mordreds who created the bubble got a break.

"Sooo, Aloysious. Not gonna say anything about the magical bubble? You... come from a planet where magic is not acknowledged, and..." PMM began, and Aloysious' musical laugh (which annoyed PMM to a great end) interrupted him.

"I already saw it," He explained. "I did have to walk here from the landing site, after all. I didn't expect it to be so cold!"

"A Canadian doesn't let go of that weather too easily," Arkcher said. "By the way, dad, this place is called Mt. Jazzeh, and not too far from the mansion is a city full of native Invionists. They're like eskimos, you know? You can visit them anytime, though."

Aloysious took all this new information in pretty well for someone who had lived a normal existence on earth his whole life. Then again, he was an elf. He might not be too surprised by this stuff anymore.

 

"The planes here are really fast, which is good considering Invision is small."

"Small enough to have a capital that governs the entire planet."

"Wait, Arkcher, Hamsterdam can't be the capital. The castle is on an entirely separate island."

"That's true, but everyone just thinks of it as the capital."

"That's complicated. But, I get it." Aloysious said.

 

The plane eventually arrived, and within an hour, they were in Hamsterdam. Aloysious stared out the window at the buildings, and said "It reminds me of London, a little."

"Seems like everybody who sees it is reminded of a place they know," PMM said. "It reminds me of Tokyo or San Francisco."

 

After they landed, Mushrom clutched the Ahrroww's wrists and dragged them over to the most popular restaurant on the planet (no lie), Planet Horatio.

"I had the idea for this a few years ago, but I don't own it anymore," She explained, and they went inside.

 

Planet Horatio was a single story, and a single room, but it was a large room, and what a room it was. In one corner of the room was the bar, which was long and neatly kept, in another corner was a jukebox, a television on a small shelf in another corner. There were double doors leading to a private patio, and there were booths on two sides of the room, with tables in the center, including billiards tables that were currently abandoned.

 

The employees at the restaurant included Roger, who was the owner as well as one of the dishwashers and a cook; Kat, who really only worked there for the free drinks as a waitress; Glowurm, a tall and large glowing worm with an eyepatch and several limbs missing, who worked at the bar and sometimes did waiter duty. There were also four performers, but we'll get to them later.

 

Glowurm was working that day, sitting at the bar mixing up Kat's favorite drink, called the Jig. Jigging was one of Kat's pastimes, and thus a drink was named after it. It was one of the strongest mixes in the restaurant, which fit Kat just fine.

 

A few people glared at Aloysious, having never seen him before, but no one wanted trouble with him or anything like that. The Ahrrowws sat at the bar, and Glowurm stared at them out of a single eye.

"Oh? A glowing pirate. Hello." Aloysious said.

The worm's eyes became big, and he backed away. "And... who the heck are you?!"

Aloysious laughed again, possibly as a way to get out of awkward conversation.

"Glow, this is my father."

"HOLY ####, ARE YOU SERIOUS?"

"Keep it down. And language."

Even though nobody in the establishment cared. After all, they were used to Kat.

Arkcher looked awfully steamed, though. "Ugh..."

"I'm sorry, dude!" Apologized Glowurm.

 

Not a moment later, the other Invisionists in the restaurant began to crowd Aloysious. Anyone who knew Arkcher knew his father was a famous scientist, and were eager to see him. Kat, as you've seen, isn't good around people when she's drunk, and as such Glowurm escorted her away from the mob.

 

After all the questioning, which Arkcher was happy to answer for his father, they all sat down with a few Invisionists Arkcher was more familiar with: Kat sat down with them, as well as her best friend, a girl named Kris, and Lexxscrapham, who was visiting from the floating city near Hamsterdam.

 

Aloysious felt awkward being in such close quarters with two young women and an adult man, but he stuck with it and examined them instead.

Kat, who he had not met before now but knew was one of Arkcher and Mushroom's closest friends, was dressed wildly, though not in her regular outfit. Kris was dressed the polar opposite (even though, he was told, they were best friends), with a green sweater, a green skirt, and long, chesnut brown hair, which matched her dog ears and fluffy dog tail. She appeared to be some kind of half-human, half-Collie dog. Lexxscrapham was a nine-tailed fox with a monk's robe on, and Aloysious felt surprised by him for the first time on the new planet. He didn't talk quite as much as the girls though.

 

Kat had been walking around the bar area for a while before sitting down, and looking Aloysious up and down with her cat eyes, one of which was covered by a monocle.

He decided not to question her decision to wear a gold suit of armor and an ascot, with an enormous claymore strapped to her back and...

Suddenly, Kat exploded on him.

"YOUR SUSPENDERS AREN'T RAINBOW OR RED! YOU FAIL BY DEFAULT!"

Aloysious ruffled his own hair and giggled nervously. He still had a feeling that no one who was friends with Arkcher could be too deadly. Even Kat, who smiled at him, and after drinking the rest of her Jig, got up and started dancing.

"Excuse me, but..."

"Dad, just, just don't ask."

"Well... okay then..."

 

Kris squeezed a notebook to her chest, and looked over at Aloysious.

"So... you're... you're really Arkcher's dad?"

He nodded.

Kris scooted her chair over closer to him, looking at the ground as she did. Her voice was very quiet, and she had the slightest hint of a country accent in her voice, even though she was not from earth. However, the accent made her seem like a sweet southern belle, and not like a hick. Aloysious liked listening to her talk.

 

Kris held her hand to her face and looked off into the distance as if in a daze. "Well, I hope I get to know you better during your time here. You seem like a nice enough person. And you're very handsome."

Aloysious blushed, and Arkcher was taken aback, but Mushroom giggled like a schoolgirl.

"Arkcher, can I get something to eat now?" Aloysious asked.

"Of course, dad," Arkcher said, in much better spirits now than he'd been at the mansion. "Besides, we're so hungry we could eat an octorok."

PMM glared at him from behind his huge glasses. "What did I tell you about referencing that?"

Arkcher ignored him and called Kat the waitress over, throwing menus at their heads. Aloysious got conked by one, but recovered quickly.

 

The others ate at Planet Horatio all the time, and since it happens when you eat somewhere a lot, they knew exactly what they wanted, but Aloysious still had to peruse what the place had to offer.

"They have some... interesting names." He looked over the specialties, and muttered "You can eat bat here...?"

"Hey, Arkcher's dad. I bet you could use a drink!"

"Please, Kat. My dad is bad with alcohol."

"So I am. Do you have any kinds of tea?"

"Coming up!"

"Wait, I didn't say what kind-"

Not long after, Kat had a tray, with a ridiculously fancy teapot and teacup with green tea inside. Not Aloysious' favorite, but it would do.

 

Aloysious eventually ordered a steak under the guidance of his son, who had tried out everything Planet Horatio had to offer, and after the meal chatted with Kat and Kris some more.

"I'm sorry. I don't believe I introduced myself," Said the dog-girl. "I'm Kris. My last name is Luvsdogs, but no one ever uses it. And this is Kat Dacatis."

She motioned towards Kat, unable to point because her hands were still clutching the notebook to her heart.

"But we usually just call her Kat, obviously."

Kat looked over at Aloysious. She looked very regal in the armor, as out of place as it was.

"I like soup," Kat stated bluntly. "And I also like my claymore, monocles, Oscar Wilde, and zombie movies. Among other stuff. But mostly soup."

"Pleased to meet you," Aloysious said, bowing as well as he could in his chair. "If you don't mind my asking, why a suit or armor and a monocle? Were you at a convention of some sort?"

"Nope."

"Were you playing some kind of game?"

"No?"

"Middle Ages re-enactment?"

"It's not the weekend yet so no."

"Couldn't be... roleplaying..."

"Sometimes, but not today. I just wore it because I had this suit of armor and was like "sure, why not?". I felt like it."

"I see," Aloysious said, though he didn't. "And the dressy accessories?"

"BECAUSE, DAMMIT! MONOCLES AND ASCOTS ARE AWESOME!"

"I see..." Lied Aloysious.

 

Kat downed yet another Jig, and banged her head on the table. Aloysious gasped, and wondered why no one else had.

"BOOMSTICK!" She shouted. "AND RED IS THE BEST COLOR! WHY AREN'T YOU WEARING RED?!"

Aloysious felt genuinely threatened. Kris smiled throughout the whole ordeal.

Am I really the only one shocked by her?

 

"I..." Aloysious started.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Kris said. "We're all so used to it that nothing she does can surprise us anymore."

"Don't say that, Kris," Arkcher warned. "Because next thing you know, she'll do something really crazy."

Kris tried to smooth out her Kelly Green sweater, and adjusted the pale pink ribbon in her hair. The notebook, which had a hairpin in it, laid on her lap.

 

"Er... you've been clutching that notebook all day. What's inside it, if I may ask?"

"Oh, I'm sorry-I should have told you when I introduced myself. I'm a poet and a romance novelist, and I keep my ideas and drafts in there."

"Most of the writers of Invision live on Adstar," Mushroom said, butting in. "That's a group of star-shaped islands off to the west of Hamsterdam. It's a pretty neat place, and Kris is visiting here to get things published."

Aloysious was silent. So far, he knew of three places on the planet: Mt. Jazzeh, Hamsterdam, the floating city he did not know the name of, and now Adstar.

 

He glanced back over at Kat, who was very drunk and changing the channels on th TV, much to the annoyance of people trying to watch.

"Uh... how old is that girl?" He asked, pointing to Kat.

"15 or 16," Arkcher answered. "The same age as me."

"But isn't the drinking age here 18 or 21? Like on earth?"

"I think so."

"Then why does the sign say "Drinking age 12"?"

Mushroom jumped up. "It does?! Kat... she switched the sign again..." And she ran off to fix it.

 

Kat jumped back over to Aloysious after switching to a station showing anime, and threw her arm around him.

"Aloysiousssss! Did you know electric stones taste like gold?"

"Uh..."

"Try it!" She demanded, reaching into her red hair and somehow retrieving a yellow rock. "Electric stone, tastes like gold!"

"No thanks..."

"AH'M SORRY!" She shouted. "YOU'RE MAH BESHT FRIEND..."

 

"Ugh, Kat..." Arkcher muttered, getting up, and with the help of Mushroom_king, grabbed Kat by the collar on her suit of armor, and wound up taking a taxi back to her house. That left Aloysious alone with Kris, and as young as she was, Aloysious could never resist a beautiful girl.

Aloysious swallowed, and said flirtatiously, "Could I see some of your poems?"

Kris looked surprised, and tried to hide behind her notebook. "W-well... Aloysious... I haven't published any of the poems in this notebook yet. It wouldn't be fair if you saw them first."

"I see," he sighed. "And where can I read your published work?"

"Well, if you're going out and about in Hamsterdam, you can visit the Stories Forum... other people have written things there, too. And there's other places like it."

Aloysious smiled at the prospect of both. "I love the fine arts. And everything is made by the residents of this planet?"

"Yes, all of it."

"Does it get published on other planets? Will I recognize any of it?"

"We do sometimes publish it elsewhere. Not often, though."

 

The two were silent for a bit, when Kris yelled, "Aloysious! Please! You're sitting too close to me!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry," he said, and he meant it, unlike most grown people who flirt with the youngins.

 

Arkcher and Mushroom returned from their little adventure of bringing Kat home, and Aloysious knew it when he heard Arkcher yell "Dad!" from across the room.

 

"Dad! Where do you want to go next?"

"Kris was telling me about some kind of stories forum? Can we go there?"

"Sounds good enough to me," Arkcher said after a short silence. He flipped his long hair over his shoulder.

"And you can come with us, so you can get all that stuff published, am I correct?" Aloysious asked Kris.

Kris nodded, turning pink. Arkcher sighed at this, but PMM thought it was pretty funny, and a little creepy.

 

The Story Forum, along with the Music and Art Forums, were in the downtown area of Hamsterdam, and they stopped first by the Story Forum, which was the largest building.

 

Aloysious read through all of Kris' poems, and read at least the first chapter of all her romance novels, and heavily complimented them. She blushed as he did, not used to that kind of treatment.

 

He flipped through some of the other poems. "Who is Topazia? And Lauren?"

"Two other poets," Mushroom explained. Arkcher wasn't quite as familiar with the writers, because he didn't like being around most of them.

"Well, they're quite good, but Lauren is perhaps too depressing for my tastes,"

"And mine." Arkcher added.

 

The Music Forum was the smallest building, because most of the Invisionists simply went there to talk about music instead of make it.

There was one exception, and that was Mushroom_king.

 

"I don't know if Arkcher told you, but I'm an aspiring musician," She explained. "I've written a lot of songs, though most of them are about life back on my home planet, and not so much Invision."

"No, Arkcher didn't tell me that," Aloysious said, staring at his son.

Mushroom almost always had a heart-shaped guitar with her, strapped to her back, much like how her sanity always had a bag with video games inside it.

"Could I see you sing one of them?"

"That's the problem. I'm still trying to figure out melodies for them. Maybe some other time, though."

 

Aloysious reluctantly agreed, and they headed for the third and final one, the art forum. There they saw Mega Wolf again, hosting an art contest, and a number of paintings and drawings or varying quality were hung up on the walls. Many of the pictures were rather old.

There was one gallery that Aloysious particularly liked, and it belonged to someone called Cheetaspot.

 

"Son! Do you know who this person is? These pictures are incredible!" he shouted. "I'd love to buy one, but I didn't bring any money!"

Mushroom was examining a portrait that had been drawn of her by a girl named Vixen, and Arkcher had been as well when he heard his father call him.

"It's alright. We can always come back. Though I doubt Cheeta is going to sell us any of her work."

 

Aloysious continued to stare. "Cheetaspot. Where does she live?"

"She lives and works out in the Mushroom jungle, which is just outside the city. She almost never leaves-other people come and pick up the paintings from her to hang in the Forum."

 

Without taking his eyes of a painting of the African Savannah, Aloysious exclaimed "Then I must meet her! As soon as possible! I want to let her know how talented she is. But... I also want to see the rest of the city-"

"I say town first," Mushroom interrupted, coming over to them. "There's a lot of cool stuff."

PMM began to drool. "Like Hamster Chic, you mean?"

Arkcher looked at his with disgust. "Don't drool at that! Are you some kind of furry?"

PMM tried kicking Arkcher, but he could only hit his ankles. "Ugh, no!"

Aloysious looked confused. "I may know what a furry is, but how is he one?"

"I can show you," Mushroom offered.

Arkcher groaned. "Ugh, do we have to..."

 

No one listened to Arkcher complain as they dragged him to a much busier, much flashier section of the city. They walked up to the front entrance of a large, sleek building, with sliding glass doors, and enormous pink lights. It was very pink for a corporate building.

 

"Hamster Chic? That's a silly name. It's fashion for hamsters?" Aloysious asked. "I can't believe it."

"No, for everyone," PMM answered. "The owner is a hamster, though."

"Hamsterdam. Hamster Chic. I don't get it." He shook his head, assuming it would one day be explained to him (spoilers: it doesn't). "And we're allowed inside?"

"Let's just say we're friends of the models," Mushroom stated.

 

Mushroom, PMM, and Aloysious went inside, but Arkcher stood firm outside.

"Arkcher? What's with you?"

"I'm not going to go in there. I hate that kind of stuff. Like that skank Miss B-"

"Arkcher," Mushroom stopped. "Well, we're both going in."

Arkcher glanced off into space, and shouted "Well fine! I'll just go somewhere else and you can have fun with that-!" He breathed, and looked at Kris, who had still been tagging along with them. Arkcher didn't know her that well, but offered to take her somewhere, not sure where, really.

He tried not to think of what his father was getting himself into.

 

---------------------------------------------

 

"I'm really only friends with two of the models," Mushroom admitted. "But they're nice enough."

Aloysious listened to what she said, and couldn't help but feel out of place inside the glitzy place.

 

Mushroom somehow got past the front desk, and went up several floors, until they were in front of a pink door.

"These two are also some of the more famous models," She explained. "They're roommates-Miss Kitty Girl, from Texas, and Miss Bunny, from Japan. Best friends."

"So, they're like the girls from Planet Horatio-anthropomorphic?"

"... I guess so. Would you like to meet them?"

 

Aloysious thought before answering, his son referring to Miss Bunny as a 'skank' echoing in his mind. Arkcher had been reluctant to come in, and he wondered why.

[Horatio]

Terrific update!!! I love the feral kangaroo. Thank you for continuing this story. It is really fantastic and I appreciate you continuing. Thank you!!!

[Mushroom_king]

Don't worry, the feral kangaroo will return once I get to re-writing Kat's story.

[Mushroom_king]

Aloysious eventually nodded. "It's my duty to meet all of your friends. Or at least a good portion of them."

Mushroom shrugged. She wasn't exactly close to the models, just on friendly terms... but they were friends, she supposed...

"They're roommates," Mushroom explained as she knocked on the door. Aloysious nodded. PMM looked awfully excited.

 

The door creaked open, and standing there was a tall, dark-skinned girl with similarly dark cat's ears and tail, and a hot pink tank top, skinny jeans, and shiny, curly hair that went to her shoulders. She was pretty, Aloysious admitted.

"Who is it?" Called a distant voice.

"It's the Mushroom girl! And some other guy... not her husband..."

"Is that Miss B?" Mushroom asked. The catgirl nodded, laughing. "Come on in. I don't get to see you often enough!"

 

MK grabbed Aloysious by the arm and PMM helped push him in. He was interested, of course, but also a bit shocked.

"So who's this guy with you, Em Kay?"

"Aloysious Ahrroww," Mushroom said, "The-"

"Ohhhhhh, I know youuuuuu!" She exclaimed, her hands on her hips, and then leaned down and told him "I know who you are, 'cuz I've seen you before!"

Aloysious smiled weakly. He'd never had a woman lean so suggestively towards him. "Yes, I would think you have."

 

Miss Kitty Girl plopped down on a pink pillow, while Mushroom, Aloysious, and PMM sat on pillows of dark pink, purple, and green respectively. Aloysious took a look around the room and saw it was painted in an almost blinding shade of pink, and everything-nearly everything-was pink. Did they ever get enough of it? They were models, not little girls.

 

He was actually surprised how messy the room was, with makeup strewn on multiple dressers, the TV blaring, CDs opened and all over the place, and the catgirl couldn't decide if she wanted to watch music videos, fashion shows, or crime dramas. The radio was on, too, blaring some odd combination of pop-country that neither Aloysious nor Mushroom could stand.

 

The only thing that really broke the pink was the occasional green, or the occasional red, white, and blue Texas-shaped thing. Aloysious suddenly wondered why Texans liked Texas things so much.

 

"If you don't mind me asking-"

"Would you stop saying that?! No one minds your asking!!" Shouted PMM, irritated.

"If you don't mind me asking, who was the woman I heard earlier?"

"Miss Bunny," Miss Kitty Girl answered.

"I told you she would be the only one here," Mushroom muttered.

"I see... where is she? And what is she doing? It's taking her some time."

"I don't know!" Miss Kitty Girl shouted, getting flustered and sounding impatient. "Probably bathin' or makin' tea-"

"Tea?!"

"Yeah! And hot tea! I only like iced tea..."

"Maybe because you're from a rather hot part of the world," Aloysious said, grinning.

"And you like tea?"

"I... I do like tea."

"Well, I think the two of you will get along then," She said, smiling.

"Are you two talking about me?" Came a voice.

 

Aloysious turned to see where the voice was coming from, and saw, standing in the entry to the bathroom, a curvy and quite tall Asian woman with rabbit's ears, decorated with ribbons. She was still dressed in her clothes from the modeling day-and, fortunately or not, Miss Bunny was a lingerie model, and as a result, she was still outfitted in some kind of lime-green, ribbony & flowery corset, though she did have a silk robe over it.

"I-I..." Stuttered Aloysious as she came over to them, Miss Bunny tying the robe up, her face awfully shy. He seemed more surprised at her clothes than at her beauty, though upon examination, he thought, they definitely accentuated her looks. He swallowed his words and smiled politely at her.

 

"I did make tea, actually," She said. "Do I need to brew more? Because I only made a cup for me..."

"Yes please," Came the instant reply from Aloysious.

"I'll take care of it," Miss Kitty Girl said.

"No, no, I will," Miss Bunny argued.

"We both will," Kitty said.

"Okay, okay," Bunny said, in defeat.

 

Aloysious was barely able to handle it. Two beautiful, scantily-clad girls fighting, and serving him tea, and he was in their room. Who cared if they had cat ears and bunny ears?! They were otherwise human... They weren't like Kat, who was covered with fur and had paws and whiskers and cat eyes.

 

Eventually, Miss Bunny finished the tea, and she leaned down so he could take his tea off the tray, giving him a wonderful view. Mushroom grabbed the tea as well, even though she wasn't too fond of it.

"H-Hi," Aloysious said, sweating, as Miss Bunny sat gracefully across from him and sipped her tea.

"Hi," She smiled back at him. Aloysious had no idea how to react. You're a gentleman, Aloysious, remember that...

 

PMM's DS and PSP laid abandoned (at first) as Miss Bunny began to tell Aloysious stories, but they were eventually picked up when he decided they were boring. Aloysious was too enthralled by the two girls to care.

"... Of course, Miss Kitty here had to have a lot of lessons to avoid knocking things over. She can be so hyperactive sometimes."

Miss Kitty Girl gasped at the accusation, and Aloysious began wondering if all cat-people were like this.

"Hyperactive! Just 'cuz I'm not shy like you doesn't mean I'm hyperactive."

"Then you're clumsy," PMM stated.

"I'm not clumsy, either, shorty!"

"Aloysious," Mushroom started, "I think we need to get going."

"Going?! Why?"

"It's getting late and I think we ought to go find Arkcher and Kris. Even here it's not that safe in the city at night." There could be sanity-stealers from Outside the Wall, she thought.

 

Aloysious sighed. He hadn't even gotten to finish his tea. Oh well.

 

"Thank you very much," He said to the two models. "It was fun talking with you. I'll be sure to visit again... real soon."

 

-------------------------------------------------

 

As they traveled through the city, looking for Arkcher & Kris, PMM was unable to shut up.

"Mushroom... we're in an area of the city where there's, like, no people. This is kinda dangerous, don't you think. We might as well go back to wherever it was we're staying at, cuz I bet Kris & Arkcher are there, or Kris went back home, or to Kat's house, or something... I kind of don't want to get sanitynapped, if you know what I HOLY ####-"

 

Two bright lights flashed before them, and a purple Cadillac zoomed past them, nearly running the three of them over, the car grazing a lamppost before zooming off down the street.

 

"YOU! ALMOST! GAVE ME! A HEART ATTACK!" Screamed Paper Mario Master between breaths. "God!!"

"Was it just me, or was there a person in that car... holding a sock?"

"I saw them! I'd never seen that person, that car, nor that sock in my whole life on this planet!"

 

Aloysious looked around, heart pounding from the experience and yet horribly confused. "Er... that must be a call for concern, then."

Suddenly they heard a crash down the street, and instinctively began to run down the street to see what had happened.

 

"Someone screamed," Aloysious said, slowly becoming unable to keep his cool. "And now I think someone's crying..."

"Hurry up! That person might need out help-"

"We can always bandage up their wounds with that sock," Paper suggested.

 

Up ahead, the Cadillac had rammed itself into another lamppost, and something-someone-was sobbing hysterically in pain.

Sitting in the seat of the car was a androgynous.... person, with monkey ears and a tail, wearing a striped shirt and beret. On their lap was a sock.

 

"What's going on?" Mushroom asked, spotting Horatio.

"I don't know. I don't even know this girl here."

Mushroom gasped.

If he didn't know who they were... then...

"They're not an Invisionist? How is that possible?" Then something struck her. "Wait a minute. Who's crying?! It's not her!!"

"Yeah, about that," Said the girl, looking at the night sky innocently. "It's my car..."

"Your... your car is crying."

"My car is crying."

"If you didn't drive me so recklessly..." Came a soft, masculine voice.

"The car is alive? How does stuff like that even happen?" Aloysious asked.

 

"Mushroom! Dad! There you are!"

Mushroom_king looked, and saw Arkcher running towards her. Kris wasn't with him.

 

"Oh!! There you are!! We were looking for you when the accident happened-" She embraced Arkcher, and then they looked at the car again. The monkey-girl had that same, sorta-blank expression on her face.

 

"That car, living or not, will have to be brought to the shop," Horatio explained. "And... your name?"

"Breakfast," Said Breakfast.

"Breakfast, right." PMM said, unconvinced. "That's the dumbest name, ever."

"Because Paper is any better," Arkcher said under his breath.

"Okay, Breakfast," Horatio said, ignoring them. "Come with me and we'll take you back to the Best Friends of Horatio club, so you can get your citizenship taken care of-"

"WAIT UP, HAMSTERMAN! They-Uh, she-She could be a sanity stealer!"

"A what now?" Asked Breakfast.

"A-HA! PRETENDING! TYPICAL!" Yelled PMM, leaping up onto the edge of the car. "YOU'RE PRETENDING TO NOT KNOW! I AM A SANITY AND I HAVE RIGHTS AND YOU CAN'T KIDNAP MEEEEE!!!!!"

"So dramatic," Arkcher muttered, facepalming.

"No! I swear! I have no idea! I plead the fifth! Is that what I'm supposed to say? But anyway, from what I know about sanities, you don't look like one. Aren't they, like... an abstract concept?"

 

PMM calmed down. Sort of. "I'm not?"

"No."

PMM and Mushroom whispered to each other as if discussing a secret plan.

 

"Okay, okay. Horatio, proceed."

 

Horatio, unfazed and not angry at all (somehow), opened the door for Breakfast and let her out. She still clung to the sock for some reason.

 

"The Club isn't too far from here. This way."

"Hey, wait! I can still..." Cadillac tried saying, but its pleas to be driven were ignored.

Breakfast stepped gingerly out of the car, and nodded towards Horatio.

"This way," He said happily, and everyone followed him, despite the car's protests.

 

Paper Mario Master was watching her. She looked genuinely mystified.

 

"Hey, uh... what's with the sock? Why are you carrying it? It's just an ordinary sock."

Suddenly, another voice came out of seemingly nowhere: "Yeah. You're real mean."

 

"WHAT THE HECKKKKK-"

"Oh God, that sock just..."

"You really aren't used to socks talking to you?" (this was from Aloysious.)

"OF COURSE I'M TALKING TO YOU! My name is Sockysock. I'm not just a sock, morons."

"Breakfast and Sockysock? What the #### is happening on this planet?" Muttered Arkcher.

"And the car's name is Cadillac because it's a Cadillac."

"Genius."

 

They finally made it to the Best Friends of Horatio club, which was where Horatio the Hamster, as well as his secretary Patricia, lived. She was ordering people around when the group arrived there.

"Horatio! Horatio! HOOOOOR-AAAAAYYYYYY-SHIIII-OHHHHH!!!!" She shouted.

"Yes, it's me. Listen, these two... this girl, and her talking sock, crashed their sentient car on Dixon Avenue. They don't have sanities, and we don't know where they came from. The girl is Breakfast, and her friend is Sockysock. The car's name is Cadillac."

Patricia's eyes glimmered. "That's... that sounds important. Where is Cadillac?"

"Getting repaired. It did crash, after all."

 

Patricia got Horatio's laptop for him, and he began to ask Breakfast some important questions.

"Listen-we need you to tell us some information about yourself and your two friends."

 

After a short question-and-answer period, Horatio gathered a short bio on them:

Name, Breakfast Monkey; Species, Human/Anthromorph (Monkey); Planet of Origin, Civolv, Gender Female.

Name, Sockysock, Species, Sock [sentient being], Planet of origin, LR, gender, has a masculine voice & personality.

Name, Cadillac, species, Car [sentient being], Planet of origin, Earth, Gender, Has none.

 

Horatio looked at all this, and then at Breakfast, tugging at Sockysock on her lap.

"You have no idea where you are and you have no sanities. That's correct?"

Breakfast nodded. She seemed frightened.

"Do you know how you got here?"

She looked at the ceiling, and, looking and sounding less scared, said "We crashed in a rocket in a really cold place, and we somehow took a boat across the ocean to this place. Cadillac crash-landed in a different pod out in a jungle somewhere and made his way here."

"Excuse me? You said you crashed in a rocket in a cold place?" Arkcher exclaimed.

"I was about to ask you if you knew anything about this, Arkcher," Horatio commented.

"When?! What time?!"

"Yesterday, maybe? The day before?"

 

"That's-"

He looked at his father.

"That's the day before you showed up! That wasn't you in that rocket Jeanette told us about?!"

"Son, don't raise your..."

"How did you get here, then?!"

Aloysious' face, usually so mellow, suddenly grew harder around the edges, and began to exert his own authority.

"Arkcher. I will explain everything to you when I can." Then back to mellow. "I am afraid I do not have much to say, though."

"And what does that mean?!"

"Arkcher, calm down. What's important is dealing with Breakfast and her friends."

"I don't think we'll be leaving anytime soon," Breakfast said.

"Then... Well..."

Breakfast looked like she was going to cry. "We can't stay..."

"No! No, nothing like that! You can stay, it's just you'll need sanities, and I don't have the power to issue those out, only Stewart does, and-"

 

Horatio suddenly paused.

Oh no, Thought nearly everyone. He always gets like this when they mention Stewart.

"What about Stewart?!"

"He's gone. He isn't coming back."

 

Mushroom exchanged a surprised glance with her husband, but he was too angry to pay enough attention, so she switched to Paper Mario Master.

Horatio was the most optimistic person they knew. He had never-never-said something like that before. Forever the optimist.

 

"I'll see what I can do. All of you, you can leave now. Breakfast, you stay here for as long as you need."

 

Arkcher didn't mention that his father would eventually need a sanity as well, because he didn't think Aloysious would be staying much longer.

 

-----------------------------------------------------

 

After the very quick flight home, Arkcher called his father to the dining room long after the others had gone to bed.

 

"Dad. You have a few things to explain to me, don't you?"

The way he spoke, it was like he was the father and Aloysious his son.

"I want to tell you, son, believe me. But I doubt you would believe me."

Arkcher smiled at Aloysious. "Trust me! I'll believe you, okay? I just want to know how you got here. If it wasn't in that rocket."

He seems so happy now. He was livid back in Hamsterdam.

"Well, I.... Arkcher... to be perfectly honest.... I have no idea how I got here."

 

Arkcher's smile melted away, and the emotion in his eyes melted away for a second. Then he slammed his fists on the table.

"WHAT? He yelled-no, bellowed-his face practically murderous by this point, his shout and his fists shaking the table and probably waking someone up.

 

Aloysious fell back in his chair. Livid again.

"Don't you yell at me!!" Aloysious said, but his voice was too timid to command any kind of authority.

"HOW CAN YOU... HOW CAN YOU TELL ME..." He continued to slam the table, probably waking up more people in the process."HOW CAN YOU TELL ME YOU DON'T KNOW?!"

 

"I just told you! What kind of question is that?"

Arkcher gripped the table, staring Aloysious dead in the face, eyes white with anger. Aloysious really thought he was going to flip the table over.

 

His voice then got very low, very dangerous.

"Tell me everything you know about what happened when you got transported here."

"The only thing I remember was a... there was this man-"

Arkcher froze.

"This man with a suit and long hair-"

Oh my god Stewart no it couldn't be

"-He had hair as red as blood-"

Hair as red as blood? Arkcher thought. Stewart had... he had orange hair. No. It wasn't him. Who was I trying to kid?

"He said something, but I felt like I was in a dream. I went with him, I blacked out, thought I was going to die, and here I was, on your front step. I remember he said to me-"

Wait, blood red hair?

" 'This is your son's house.' "

 

Arkcher sat back in his chair, staring blankly into space. Then he shook his head, after a few seconds of deep thoughts and planning, and then stared at his father.

 

"Is that so..."

Aloysious nodded. He was actually sweating.

Arkcher smiled again, but it only made Aloysious' skin crawl even more.

"I understand. Actually, dad, it makes sense. Do you know how all of us got here?"

Aloysious shook his head.

"Do you remember Stewart, the guy Horatio mentioned?"

"I was going to ask who he is."

"He's the guy who 'founded' the planet. He went around the universe and picked up random people to take back here-"

Aloysious' blood went cold.

 

"Wait."

Arkcher waited. "Is something wrong?"

Aloysious looked up at Arkcher, his eyes glistening as if he was going to start sobbing uncontrollably.

"Arkcher... three years ago... your mother and I got a letter from the boarding school that said you vanished in the middle of the night."

"I was about to tell you-"

 

Aloysious interrupted him, and actually did start crying. "The entire-everyone was looking for you! And after all that time, they all thought you were dead!"

Aloysious's head fell to the table, sobbing. Arkcher leaned over to try and comfort him. "And, last month, I finally gave up hope you were gone..."

Arkcher froze as his hand was reaching for his father to comfort him.

 

Dead?

 

In all the three years he had lived on Invision, he had never considered the implications of his disappearance. He had never considered how his father would have felt, or his two friends at Snow Log Boarding House. He had never tried to contact his friends, even though they were probably online.

And how had his mother treated Aloyious in the intervening years? He didn't want to think about it.

 

"Dad... It's fine now."

"It almost seems... it almost seems like I wished it," Aloysious said, sitting back up, his eyes red. "I gave up a month ago. Then all of a sudden I'm transported to where you were spirited away too. If I had known you'd been taken to another planet-"

"Stewart is the one who took all of us here," Arkcher said. "He was the one who brought me, and everyone else, here."

"That makes me wonder if Stewart has any children of his own. If he did, he would have thought about the effect it had on someone like me."

"He's a good man, dad. Trust me on this. At least-what little I know of Stewart. He wouldn't have intended to hurt you like that." Arkcher smiled. "And, the both of us are away from Mom now, aren't we?"

Aloysious didn't want to say he was happy about that, but he was.

 

Arkcher stood up.

 

"It's best we went to bed and put this behind us. I need to do something important online before I go to bed."

"Alright."

The two hugged once again, but without Arkcher pushing his father away this time, and Aloysious retreated to the guest room.

 

------------------------------------------

 

Arkcher sent out an e-mail to his two best friends on Earth, with the simple message "It's me, remember? I'm not dead. I can't tell you where I am right now, though. I wasn't kidnapped, either. I think. But I do hope I can see you guys again someday."

 

At least they would know he was alive.

 

"PS don't tell anyone."

 

Arkcher's hand shook as he moved the mouse and clicked 'send'. He hoped they saw it.

 

One more thing.

 

He pulled up Instant Messenger. No one was online except Kat, of course, but he sent a short message to the email-less Cheesemaster anyway.

 

"Can you come to Hamsterdam? I'm on a trip with my father right now, but there's something we need to discuss.

 

Send.

 

Arkcher got up, the two missions done, and he, too, retreated to bed.

[Horatio]

*hands Mushroom_king a delicately woven basket of freshly baked warm cookiefins*

 

I know that I repeat myself, but this story is getting better and better and your writing is really developing! Fantastic! Truly enjoyable reading!

Thank you!!!